


The Doctor Is In

by DoctorpooandtheTURDIS



Series: The New Adventures of Doctor Who [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), Mass Effect Trilogy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:41:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 52
Words: 143,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25411837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorpooandtheTURDIS/pseuds/DoctorpooandtheTURDIS
Summary: After his devastating loss at Manhattan, the Doctor is trying to put the loss behind him, and settle down into a life of solitude.Shame the TARDIS has other ideas.
Series: The New Adventures of Doctor Who [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1840504
Kudos: 10





	1. Foreword

_Shepherd; one who offers guidance or leadership._

_We get that word from Her, you know._

_The Shepard, the one who vanquished the Reapers, who drove the Andromedans back to their own galaxy, who served as a bridge between the races of the Milky Way, and the Time Lords of old. Shepard is almost universally recognized as a hero, a herculean type figure of epic stature, but she didn't start out that way, oh no._

_Shepard was born in- well, nobody really knows when she was born, except for her brother, but in the interest of time, let's just say she was born in 2158, and leave it at that._

_Shepard was raised by Captain Hannah Shepard of the Alliance Navy, moving from ship to ship, never staying for too long._ _Shepard finally enlisted with the Alliance Navy at the age of eighteen, as part of a desire to, in her own words, "Make mommy proud."_

_I think she succeeded in that department, don't you?_

_Shepard had a... difficult career, to say the least. Elysium, the colony she had been stationed on, was attacked by a gang of ruthless pirates and slavers from the Terminus Systems. Shepard succeeded in defending the colony... at the expense of over half her squad. But the incident proved her worth to the Alliance, and she was bumped up to the advanced training course._

_The N7 Program, as it's also known._

_Shepard nearly flunked out of the training several times, not an uncommon occurrence, given the difficulty of the program, but what did make it uncommon, was Shepard's tenacity._

_"She never gives up._ _**Ever.** _ _" was the phrase I believe one of her instructors used._

_She eventually completed the program, and went on to perform several classified missions, most of which have become declassified. But even today, almost three-thousand years later, her mission to stop the Collectors, and her exploits to stop the Reaper invasion have been lost to time. Meaning that most of Shepard's exploits are shrouded in myth, misinformation, and outright lies._

_Hopefully, this can clear that up._

_I've recently grown... involved with someone who was on Shepard's crew during her mission to stop the Collectors, and later, the Reapers._

_This is the most complete and accurate account of Shepard's journey that you will find anywhere. Period._

_Everyone has a different outlook on Shepard, and this doesn't line up with all of them But, nevertheless, I urge you to read on._

_What you'll find, may surprise you._

-Foreword to A Completely Accurate Account of The Shepard, by Professor River Song.


	2. Prologue: The Attack

The Doctor sat in the newly redecorated TARDIS, silently mourning (though he would never admit it) over the loss of the Ponds. He gently touched Amy's reading glasses that he picked up, looking at them sullenly, as the time rotor's iconic sound reverberated throughout the ship.

The TARDIS silently probed the edges of his mind, in a manner that seemed to be inquisitive of why he was just sitting there on the steps. The TARDIS never actually spoke any words, except for the encounter on House, but the Doctor could pick up enough of a meaning in the simple waves of emotion the sentient ship sent out.

"No. I'm done." The Doctor responded silently, uncharacteristically honest.

Another wave, like that of a raised eyebrow, motioned for him to continue.

"Romping around the universe." The Doctor said, still looking down at the glasses, unable to shake the image of Amy vanishing right in front of him. "This universe's had enough of me, I get that now."

The TARDIS 'snorted' via a gust of cold air, asking why he'd refer to the universe as if it were sapient.

"Might as well be, considering how it seems to loathe me." The Time Lord said, seemingly void of any emotion. "Then again, it could just be a natural law. Gravity makes things fall, time makes things age, and I ruin everything around me."

The TARDIS remained unresponsive for a moment, before a mischievous gust of air surrounded him.

"What do you mean by that?" The Doctor looked up. The time rotor's groaning-wheezing noise suddenly shifted in pitch, as the console room shook uncontrollably. The Doctor launched up from his seat, and ran over to the console. "No, don't do that! I don't remember telling you to do that!"

He furiously pressed every button, flipped every lever end switch, and turned every dial, to no response. He whirled one of the monitors around to face him, and looked upon it with wide eyes. "Hold on, you don't want to-!" He was cut off as a loud bang from the ripping of space and time itself occurred, and the time lord was thrown to the floor.

* * *

_SSV Normandy_

The Normandy shuddered as it dropped out of FTL.

"Disengaging FTL drives." The Normandy's helmsman, Jeff "Joker" Moreau reported. "Emission sinks active. Board is green, we are running silent."

"Good work." Thea Shepard, the Normandy's Commander, complimented the pilot. "Are there any Geth ships in the vicinity?"

"No, sir." Navigator Charles Pressly said, walking up into the cockpit. "I'm telling you, Commander, we're wasting our time. We've been searching up and down this sector for three days, and there's still no sign of Geth activity."

"Three ships disappeared here last month. Something happened to them." Joker said.

"Commander, there's some pretty odd readings." Private Jones at the targeting station reported.

"Define 'odd.'" Shepard ordered.

"It's a black spot." Jones reported. "The sensors are picking up nothing, at all. Anything that goes off in that direction just vanishes. Not even LADAR scans are getting anything."

"How big is it?" Shepard asked.

"Let's see..." Jones tapped a few controls. "It's about twelve feet tall, five feet long, and five feet wide."

"Send the data back to the Alliance." Shepard ordered. "If this is supposed to be some kind of new stealth tech made by the Geth, then the brass needs to know."

"Transmission sent." Jones reported. "Picking up something else, Commander. An unidentified vessel, looks like a cruiser."

"Doesn't look like any cruiser I've ever seen." Shepard peered at the display.

The private's eyes widened. "Cruiser is changing course. It's on an intercept trajectory."

"Can't be." Pressly piped up. "The stealth systems are engaged, there's no way a Geth ship could possibly-"

"It's not the Geth!" Joker shouted in realization. "Brace for evasive maneuvers!"

The people inside the ship teetered uncontrollably as Joker tried to get the Normandy out of the path of the unknown ship. He was unsuccessful, as a beam weapon of some kind completely overwhelmed the kinetic barriers, and sliced right through the hull of the ship.

An explosion knocked Pressly to the floor as the ship started to crumble.

"Pressly!" Jones shouted. She got up from her seat, and was too, killed by an exploding console.

"Kinetic barriers down! Multiple hull breaches!" Joker frantically reported. "Weapons offline! Somebody get that fire out!"

Shepard, meanwhile, ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She sprinted down the stairs to deck 2, and ran over to the emergency control panel, located at the end of the corridor containing the sleeping pods.

Debris fell from the ceiling as the Normandy's internal superstructure started to melt and deteriorate.

"Shepard!" Kaidan Alenko, part of the Normandy's marine compliment shouted, as he ran up to the Commander.

"The distress beacon's ready for launch." Shepard said, as she sealed her own helmet.

"Will the Alliance get here in time?" Kaidan asked.

Another fire broke out from behind Shepard, and the Commander ran to grab the extinguisher. "They won't leave us here to die. Get everyone onto the escape shuttles."

"Joker's still in the cockpit." Kaidan said, as he started helping to put out the fires. "I'm not leaving either."

"That was an order, marine!" Shepard pointed. "I'll get Joker out of here." She said, as she grabbed hold of two broken power cables, trying to reconnect them. She looked to the marine behind here, and said: "Kaidan, go. Now."

"Aye, aye, ma'am." Kaidan reluctantly said, as he went off to do as ordered.

Shepard reconnected the two cables, and pressed a button on the control panel. Outside, part of the ship's hull lifted up, exposing the escape shuttles in their launch tubes. Each one of the white rings on the holographic display turned red as each shuttle launched, one-by-one.

Looking at the display, Shepard noted that there was still one escape shuttle, present just behind the cockpit. She checked her suit's seal, and ran through the crumbling Normandy's corridors.

"Mayday, mayday, mayday!" Joker shouted over the emergency channels. "This is SSV Normandy! We've suffered heavy damage from an unknown enemy! C'mon baby, hold together, hold together." Joker tried to will the ship, as Shepard walked through the door into the CIC.

Or rather, what was left of it. The roof of the ship had been completely torn off, depressurizing the entire deck, and exposing it to the vacuum of space. Shepard ran through the barrier protecting Joker, and ran up to the pilot. "Joker, we have to get out of here!"

"No!" Joker defiantly shouted back. "I'm not abandoning the Normandy, I can still save her!"

Shepard gently grabbed onto Joker. "Jeff, the Normandy's lost. Going down with the ship isn't going to change that."

Joker looked sullen. "Yeah. Okay, help me up."

The two looked through the breach in the CIC, and witnessed the unknown ship closing in again. "They're coming around for another attack!"

Shepard grabbed Joker's arm forcefully, and dragged him up. "Watch the arm!" The pilot shouted in pain.

Joker, supported by Shepard, hobbled over to the escape shuttle located across from the airlock. The helmsman was pushed in, and just when Shepard was also about to board, a large explosion threw Shepard away from the shuttle, and over to the exterior launching mechanism.

"Commander!" Joker shouted in fear.

Shepard didn't take the time to think about herself. "Shepard!" Joker shouted out. The Commander pressed the button, and the shuttle's doors closed, as the shuttle itself launched away.

Another shot from the beam weapon of the unknown lanced through what was left of the Normandy, and Shepard was propelled into the wall by the blast.

Gravity cancelled out as the ship lost what little power his had left, and Shepard floated off into space, as the Normandy died in a final, magnificent explosion.

Shepard floated away, only to realize too late that while she was indeed alive, it wouldn't be that way for much longer.

Bits of shrapnel from the explosion cut through her suit, creating several breaches.

Shepard frantically tried to plug the holes with her hands, in a desperate attempt to stop the oxygen from leaking out.

But it was all for naught, as there were too many leaks, and too much oxygen had already vacated the suit.

Shepard passed out, but before she did, she thought she saw something just appear out of nowhere, with the steady pulsing of a light.

Shepard finally lost consciousness, and fell to the planet below, never knowing what the strange object was.

But (un)fortunately for her, it wouldn't remain that way for long.

* * *

"What's that?" The Doctor muttered to himself, as he looked at the monitor. "A distress signal?" The Doctor looked at the data in front of him, and pushed the monitor away. "Well, whoever it is, it's too late now." The Doctor said, as he started setting course for another planet, possibly even time. "How'd you feel about going to Confectius? I hear the rock candy cliffs look brilliant this time of year." He said, flipping the dematerialization lever.

The time rotor made its iconic sound as the TARDIS flew through the time vortex. The rotor halted, signalling that the TARDIS had landed.

The Doctor peeked out the door, to see that he was most definitely not at his destination.

The Doctor slammed the door, and marched back over to the console. "Does that look like an artificial planet made entirely out of candy to you?"

"You have reached your destination." The TARDIS replied, using a GPS-like voice clip.

"No, I haven't." The Doctor responded. "I asked for the planet of candy, not the galactic garbage heap!" The Doctor went over to the door, and swung it open. "Does that look like..." The Time Lord trailed off, as a species he had never seen before passed by. "Well, that's new." The Time Lord smiled. He went over to the railing, and grabbed the Victorian-style longcoat off the railing, throwing it on. He walked back to the door, and was about to open it again, but he stopped. Didn't he say that he was done with the universe romping?

"Oh, sod it." He mildly cursed. "There's always tomorrow." He opened the door, stepped out, and shut it, taking the time to make sure it was locked.

As he turned around, he was met with a sharp blade.

"Give me your credit chit." A deep, rasping voice commanded.

"My what now?"

"Your credit chit, now!"

"I don't think I want to."

"What?" The mugger demanded. "You give me everything you have right now, or losing your things is going to be the least of your problems."

"See, you're not very consistent. And with a form like that..."

"Form? What form?"

"See, you're a very athletic fellow, yes, but there's no form. You're too stiff, your arm's at least three centimeters down from where it should be, and you're not concentrated. See, if you tried to mug me, I could take the knife out of your hands without breaking a sweat. See?" He said, holding up and looking at the knife in disdain.

"What the-!?" The alien's hands shot upwards. "I-I swear, I didn't mean nothing by it!"

"Of course you didn't." The Doctor remarked. He threw the knife into a nearby trash compactor. "Now, go. Before I change my mind."

"Th-thank you!" The alien shouted as it ran away.

"Brilliant. Not five minutes here and I already have people cowering in fear at me. That's got to be a new record." The Time Lord looked around for any sign as to where or when he was. Fortunately enough, his luck held out, and he quickly spotted a sign with the info that he wanted. "Let's see... Omega Station? Never heard of this place before, that's odd."

A four-eyed alien, unlike which the Doctor had ever met before, walked by, practically snarling at the Time Lord.

"And that's even more new." The Doctor suddenly grinned. "I love new things."


	3. The Lazarus Project

I don't remember how long I was out for. Could've been minutes, could've been days. I didn't even know where I was. Hell, the only thing I did know was that the Normandy was disintegrated, and every part of my body felt like I got my ass handed to me.

 _"Wake up, Commander."_ A mysterious voice commanded me from overhead. Was that an Australian accent? Was that where I was?

My eyes snapped open, and I looked around. It looked like your bog-standard medical facility, it could've been anywhere from a hospital on the Citadel, to that cheapo medical practice I woke up in after a night of binge drinking.

_"Shepard, you need to get out of that bed, and moving. This facility is under attack!"_

I groaned, but listened to the voice. It did sound familiar... maybe she was my doctor? I sat up on the bed, and instantly, a spike of pain hit me in my right hip. Was this what old people felt like?

_"There's a pistol in the locker on the other side of the room. Hurry!"_

I turned, and planted my feet on the floor, running over to the locker, limping. I did _not_ feel good. It was like sleeping in a position to give myself a crick in the neck, only my whole body was like that, and the very beating of my hearts felt like I was being punched in the chest.

What happened to me?

Ah, well, I'd have time to dwell on that later. If the facility was really under attack, I needed to get out now. I opened up the locker, and instantly began to slap on the components of the N7 armor within. In all, working under adrenaline despite my sluggishness from waking up, it took about five minutes

Finally, I put on the helmet, and the suit's systems booted up, revealing a little dialogue box.

_**/Hardsuit computer initializing... complete** _

_**/Heads Up Display online** _

_**/Communications interface online** _

_**/Kinetic barriers activated** _

_**/Medi-gel dispensers online** _

_**/Vital sign monitoring activated** _

_**/Weapon selection system activated** _

_**/Power selection system activated** _

_**/Thermal clip monitoring activated** _

_**/Have a pleasant day!** _

Okay, that was a bit different than I was used to. My old hardsuit used to take about three minutes to boot up, this was about half that. I grabbed the pistol, and my suit's computer seemed to link with it, flashing a warning in the bottom left corner of the HUD that the pistol didn't have a thermal clip. I raised my eyebrows. Thermal clips were a new technology, only in the prototype stage when the Normandy was sent to Terminus Systems to hunt down the Geth. Me personally, I thought it was a stupid system. Sure, the increase in power was good, and it meant you didn't have to wait as long for the weapon to cool down, but to me at least, that didn't justify making a system where you could run out of ammo, and then pick that system over the 'unlimited' ammo system you had before. 

But still, whoever these guys were, they had connections.

"This pistol doesn't have a thermal clip." I told the voice.

 _"It's a med-bay!"_ The voice overhead seemed frustrated, even though a med-bay with an armor locker made just as much sense. _"We'll get you a clip from..."_ On the other side of the room, the exit door seemed to experience some kind of overload, causing the locking mechanism to violently explode. _"Damn! Shepard, are you alright?"_

"Feeling fine." I coughed, lying through my teeth. Honestly, I felt worse than the time I got hammered at Ira's bachelorette party. We stole a car, caused a few thousand dollars worth of property damage, I ended up in the hospital...that was a fun night.

 _"Someone's hacking security trying to kill you."_ The voice explained. _"Grab the thermal clip that's on the floor."_

I ran into the next hallway, grabbing the clip of the floor. A small tube set into the side of the pistol, just large enough to hold the clip, with two protrusions close together in the tube. Ilined up the protrusions with two small lines that ran along one side of the clip, and slid it in. Heh, so simple a monkey can do it... which is good for the marines, given that their diets mostly consist of crayons. Chuckling to myself at my own mental joke, I moved into the next room, where several tables were overturned in the direction of the next doorway.

I glanced to my left quickly. Oh, so I was in space, great... as if I didn't just get spaced... thirty minutes ago? Yeah, thirty minutes, that felt right.

_"It looks like they set up a barricade to try and hold the mechs off."_

I vaulted over the barricade, spotting a mech at the top of the stairs, which prompted me to duck behind a container. The combat software in those things were... let's just say not the best, so all I had to do was wait for the mech to forget I even existed and stop firing, which gave me the perfect opportunity to pop out of cover and fire a few shots into its head, causing it to explode. Once I was fairly certain it wouldn't spontaneously stand back up, I got out of cover, and headed into the next room.

 _"Shepard, you've got incoming."_ The voice reported, as around eight mechs came into the room from in front and the left.

I once again ducked into cover. I checked my omni-tool, and grinned. I popped up, releasing an incineration blast from my omni-tool, taking out three of the mechs. From there, I took another one out with an overload. The last two were easily dealt with by a few well-placed headshots.

I started moving again, through the hallways of the facility. Eventually, I entered a large room with multiple levels, with me being on the top. Across from me, there was a large conspicuous symbol, shaped like a squashed-down hexagon on its side, with two prongs coming off the sides. It took me a minute to place it, but finally, I recognized it. It was the logo of Cord-Hislop Aerospace, a starship manufacturing company. We'd bought parts from them to install on the Normandy back during the hunt for Saren

So what the hell was I doing in one of their facilities? I sincerely doubt a customer loyalty rewards program was the reason. 

Heh... Purchase three missile control computers, and we'll give you this life-saving medical procedure, absolutely free!

 _"Shepard, a large group of mechs is closing in on your position. Take the grenade launcher off the security officer."_ The voice guided.

Burying her questions, I picked up the weapon in question, and studied it. It was nice, that was for sure, beating out the ordnance we had available on the Normandy just by appearance alone. But that only gave me another question. What kind of aerospace engineering firm needs a grenade launcher? I mean, corporate security is a serious job, but I don't think its that serious.

 _"Here they come, Shepard."_ The voice warned.

A door on the level below me opened, and a squad of mechs came marching in. I took aim, and fired. The blast ripped into a gas pipe, igniting the flammable material, and setting fire to every last mech caught in the way.

It also made one of the prettiest explosions I'd ever seen... It'd make Michael Bay proud, at least.

I holstered the launcher, and took the elevator nearby down to the door. Seeing no way to cut off the gas, I elected to do the stupid thing over the smart one.

And I sprinted right through.

 _"You'r-... -ing gre... -ard. Mak... -ur wa... t... -uttle bay."_ The voice started getting choppy as static cut through the comms. _"-ard? -read me? Mechs are..._

The voice finally cut out, leaving me to fend for myself. Crap.

"Crap." I vocalized. But still, I had to keep moving, eventually coming to a small room that looked like a research lab.

My curiosity, knowing no bounds, compelled me to go over to a terminal in the corner of the room, and activate it.

Immediately, a recording of a raven-haired woman started up. She was quite attractive, I wasn't ashamed to admit. Even if her teeth were just a little bit.... loud. _"Progress is slow, but subject shows signs of recovery."_ The woman on the recording spoke, sharing the same voice as the one who was guiding her just a moment ago. _"Major organs are again functional, and there are signs of rudimentary neurological activity. In an effort to accelerate the process, we've moved from simple organic reconstruction of the subject to bio-synthetic fusion. Initial results show promise."_

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. The scans in the room were all obviously from me, so the woman had to be talking about me, but just how bad was it? I glanced over to a holoprojector nearby. A body was being projected in a T-pose, allowing me to rotate it, and even cycle through the different layers.

On the deeper skeletal level, I saw that the skeleton had two red holographic hearts, and lungs that looked more like branches arranged in an imitation of lungs rather than normal lungs. So, these _were_ my scans. I'd recognize my own genetically engineered biology anywhere, but that didn't tell me what happened.

In an effort to find out more, I accessed a different terminal, on the other side of the room. I'm gonna be honest, half of the medical procedures in the thing were all Greek to me. But, that 'Heavy skin weave' thing looked interesting, so I took it at least. I, um... also hacked into a wall safe.

What? It's not like these guys were going to need them any more.

On ny way out, I passed by a window. I probably wouldn't get this sort of calm again for a while, so I took a moment to look at my reflection. My blonde hair and brown eyes still looked the same, so, they didn't give me any cosmetic enhancements, at least. But my normally round and unblemished face appeared to be more scarred, and bony and angular in some places, no doubt because of whatever procedures they used to save me. This was all some serious shit...

I hope I didn't get the bill.

Oh, and my nose was a little bit crooked. I was a bit pissed about that, my nose was the best part of me. I shook my head, readied my pistol, and proceeded along through the station.

I walked into a large room, an atrium of some kind (wasteful, given we were on a space station and you needed all the space you could afford on it) where an African-American man was ducked behind a low railing, firing on mechs across the gap.

"Shepard?" The man heard me approach, as I quickly ducked down by the railing next to him. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be a work-in-progress."

I scowled. "Look, buddy, I have no idea where I am, or how I got here. You know more than I do at this point."

"Right. Sorry 'bout that." The man apologized. "My name's Jacob Taylor, I've been stationed here for-" Jacob was cut off as a shot from a mech hit the railing, nearly taking off the top of Jacob's head. "Damn it!" Jacob peeked out, and fired his pistol at two of the mechs, taking them out, before popping back down. "Things must be way worse than I thought if Miranda's got you running around here. I'll fill you in the best I can, but we should probably take care of those mechs first."

"Good plan." This guy looked more like a rent-a-cop than a soldier, but he had a functioning brain, at least. But, if we were going to get out of here, I needed to know how he was most effective. "Do you have any kind of special abilities?" 

"I'm low on thermal clips, but I'm a biotic." Jacob explained. "Just say the word, and I'll give 'em a bit of the good stuff." Jacob said, popping up, and unleashing a biotic pull upon the mechs. Jacob pulled more mechs using his biotics, and I took out the floating automatons using regular weapons. Mechs were capable against regular infantry, sure, but against biotics there was no contest. And these ones seemed to be more... dumb anyway. "They're falling back." Jacob happily reported, holstering his weapons. "You ready to get the hell off this station?"

"I've got some questions, first." I told him. He was the first human I'd met in, I needed to get at least some intel out of him now, in case he didn't make it later.

"Understandable." Jacob said. "Ask away."

"What do you do here?" He looked like a security officer, but I didn't recognize his uniform, though it did bear the same logo as the rest of the walls around this place.

"Security, mostly. Or I'm Miranda's top Lieutenant, depending on who you ask."

"Miranda?" I frowned. I recognized the name... I think, but I couldn't quite place it. "You mentioned her before."

"I'm guessing you woke up and someone started guiding you over the comms? That was probably her. She spent two years of her life working on you."

"Hold on. " I held up my hand before he could go further, "Two _years?_ Were my injuries that bad?"

"I'm no doctor, but it was bad. When you were first brought in here, you were nothing but meat and tubes. Anyone else would've put you in a coffin, but project Lazarus was different. They spent a fortune trying to bring you back. And I guessed it work, judging by the look of things."

Meat and tubes? God damn... I'm lucking to just be standing here, even if my injuries haven't healed all the way. "That explains the medical data I've seen. But I still don't get it, what exactly happened that prompted all this?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

I shook my head.

"Your ship, the Normandy, was attacked by an unknown vessel out in the Terminus Systems. You ordered a shipwide evacuation, but the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Moreau, tried to stay behind and save the ship. You went to go get him, and managed to get him into an escape shuttle, but before you got in, an explosion blasted you away. You then launched the shuttle, staying behind. That was probably when it happened."

Hey, that's right. "I remember now, we were searching for geth activity. When a sensor black spot appeared, and shortly after that, we were attacked." I wonder if the Alliance ever figured out what that thing was?

"Yep, that's basically what happened, from what I hear. But they still haven't found the ones responsible." Jacob said. "Now, do you want to keep playing twenty questions, or do you want to get out of here?"

"I'm ready whenever you are."

"Right. The fastest way to the shuttle bay should be-"

 _"Check. Check."_ A male voice interrupted from Jacob. _"Anybody on this frequency? Is anyone still out there? Hello?"_

"Wilson, that you?" Jacob responded. "This is Jacob. I'm here with Shepard. We just took out a few mechs over in D Wing."

_"Shepard's alive? In in the-... Nevermind. You both need to get out of there. Go through the service tunnels and get to the network control room."_

"Roger, Wilson. Stay on this frequency." Jacob responded.

"Let's go." I took the lead.

"Right. We can access the service tunnels through that door." Jacob pointed.

I nodded, and the two of us pressed on.

* * *

_Meanwhile, on Omega_

"Score." A human man commented as he looked at the TARDIS.

"It's a bit of junk." The Batarian commented.

"No, it's a rare antique." The human said. "A genuine Police Box, circa 1963. Do you know how many of these exist? Five. The one on Earl's Court back on Earth, and the ones in various museums in the galaxy."

"It's really not."

"Really now?" The human was condescending.

"Do wooden boxes make sensor black spots every day?" The batarian asked, scanning the TARDIS with his omni tool.

"If that's the case, then we should get this to Aria. You know how much she hates being kept in the dark about things."

"Agreed." The Batarian said. The Batarian motioned for a few Krogan to come over, and ordered them to lift up the TARDIS.

The Krogan carried the TARDIS away, leaving nothing but a vacant alley.

* * *

"Damn it, Wilson!" Jacob cursed as he and I entered a room filled with mechs. "Do you mind not putting us on a route straight into enemy territory?" This place was big, real big, who knows how big.

 _"They are literally everywhere, I'm doing the best I can!"_ Wilson paused for a moment, but spoke up again, voice filled with terror. _"Oh no... They found me, help!"_

"Where are you?" Jacob demanded.

_"Server room B! Hurry, they're out of control!"_

Huh... call me cynical, but why didn't I hear any gunshots?

The two of us broke into a sprint, and ran up a set of stairs, into the server room.

"I'm hit! They shot me!" Wilson said, a few smoking mechs on the floor, as the two entered the server room.

To my credit, I was thinking quickly, and went over to the first aid station, Coming back with a canister in my hand, I administered a dose of medi-gel.

"Thanks." Wilson grunted as he got up. "Never thought you'd save my life, Shepard. Guess that makes us even now." Wilson leaned on a container, to take the pressure off his leg. Something about this guy was... off. Wait, I remember him! I was on the table before all this went down, and was waking up. He tried to give me aspirin knowing damn well I had an allergy! "Thought if I came here I'd be able to shut down the mechs. But whoever did this completely fried the system, made it completely irreversible."

"Damn." Jacob cursed. "Any idea who it was? If we can find 'em, maybe we can get them to stop the mechs. We should find Miranda, maybe she has an idea of who it was."

"Forget about Miranda." Wilson said. "She was in D Wing. The mechs were swarming that area! There's no way she survived."

"She's alive." Jacob said. "She's a lot more tough than that."

"Then why haven't we heard form her, hmm? Face it, she's either dead, or she's the one responsible for all this."

"She wouldn't go through all the trouble to wake me just to waste me." I shot him down. This guy was really starting to get abrasive.

"Okay then, maybe she's not a traitor." Wilson backpedaled. "But that doesn't change the facts. We're here, she's not. We have to save ourselves. The shuttle bay is only a few-"

Wilson was cut off, by the door on the other end of the room opening, and mechs flooding in.

The three ducked behind cover, but an overload by Wilson on the canisters blocking their path easily took care of the mechs.

"Okay Shepard," Jacob approached, "I've got to level with you here."

"What the hell are you doing?" Wilson demanded.

"The Commander won't make it if she's expecting a stab in the back." Jacob said. "Shepard, the Lazarus Project, it was funded and controlled by Cerberus."

"...What the flying _fuck!?"_


	4. The Illusive Man

"...What the flying _fuck!?"_ I practically exploded. "Cerberus!? The same Cerberus that slaughtered dozens of innocent people in their experiments!?" And that was an understatement. They were the ones behind the Thresher Maw attack that wiped out my team on Akuze, the ones who murdered Admiral Kahoku for trying to track them down, the ones believed to be responsible for purposefully detonating a mass effect core over a city to induce biotic powers, and a whole lot more.

"Shepard, a lot can change in two years." Jacob said, motioning with his hands to try and calm me down. "We're not the same Cerberus you encountered. I don't know how I can prove it, but it's true."

"...Fine." I tried to cool down. We were in a combat situation with enemies on all sides, for now, I had to work with them. Besides, Jacob personally hadn't given me any reason to trust him. But it still rubbed me the wrong way. "But I took out my fair share of Cerberus outposts during my hunt for Saren, why would you bring me back?" 

"Like I said, a lot can change in two years." Jacob answered. "The Alliance officially declared you dead, Cerberus spent a fortune to bring you back. Look, I'd be suspicious too, but right now, we need to work together. Once we're off this station, I'll take you to the Illusive Man. He can explain everything. I promise."

I could sense the real unspoken sentence behind his words. Jacob had no idea why the hell Cerberus brought me back, but the head honcho did. But Illusive Man? I didn't recognize the name... if it was a name, and not a title or something. 

"Illusive Man?" I threw out to Jacob. "Is he the one in charge?"

"Yeah." Wilson piped up from behind Jacob. "That's not his real name, of course, nobody knows who he really is."

"It was a code name the Alliance made for him," Jacob explained, shrugging. "Guess it stuck."

Oh, hey, I recognize it now. The guy who published the Cerberus Manifesto. The Alliance said the person behind it was an 'Illusive Man,' as in, he was like an illusion, not elusive. Hell, just reading the document could get you put on a blacklist in Citadel and Alliance space just for opening the damn thing... And for good reason.

"I don't care what you say, I am not working for terrorists." I laid down the law. "We need to work together to get off this station, that's it."

Jacob shrugged, as I turned away. "You can tell it to the boss, but after we get our asses off this station. We're almost to the shuttle."

We exited the server room through the hallway at the other end of the room, past a couple of fallen technicians, as we descended a stairwell into the shuttlebay. The shuttlebay itself was a large, almost cavernous room, with multiple platforms for the shuttles to land on, and pathways to access them.

The moment the three of us entered into the shuttlebay, a team of mechs at the other end of the walkway activated, and began to open fire.

"Jacob, pull one up!" I commanded, "Wilson, hit one with an overload!"

"Got it!" Wilson replied, doing as I told.

"Have a nice trip!" Jacob directed to the mech as it floated up over the edge, falling to the distant floor below, while I took out the last lone mech.

Huh, so these guys could actually follow orders.

We ascended up a set of stairs leading towards the second docking station, the mechs on the platform activating in response to our approach. The three of us gave them no time to react, dispatching them before the mechs could ready their weapons.

I hit the door to the docking station, and it opened, revealing several mechs on the other side. We instantly opened fire, tearing through the mechs, sealing the door behind us once we were inside.

"Come on." Wilson said, as he started to override the door. "We're almost at the-" The door opened, revealing a very pissed off woman, the brunette woman from the security log from before, on the other side. "Miranda? But you were-"

Miranda pulled the trigger on her pistol, blowing Wilson's head off, and scattering blood everywhere.

"Dead?" Miranda rhetorically asked, looking down at Wilson's body with hatred.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Jacob demanded, rushing over to Wilson.

"My job." Miranda answered. "Wilson was the one who betrayed us."

"Even if you were sure," I scowled, "Did he deserve that welcome?" The last thing I needed was a trigger-happy Cerberus operative thinking she could glock anyone who she had a slight suspicion towards.

Miranda returned my question with a scowl of her own. "He sabotaged the security systems, killed my staff, and he would've killed us."

"You sure about that Miranda?" Jacob questioned. "We've known Wilson for years, what if you're wrong?"

"I'm never wrong." Miranda defended. "I thought you would've learned that by now, Jacob."

I shook my head. She'd acted far too rashly, in my opinion. "Now you can't question him. You should've taken him alive, see what he knew."

"Too risky," Miranda tried to justify herself, "I've spent too much time and effort bringing you back to life to let you get killed now."

"You really think Wilson's capable of that?" Jacob demanded.

Miranda turned back to Wilson's corpse, a smirk on her face. "Not anymore."

Back to life? Okay, I was definitely asking about that in a second. But first...

"Kinda got the feeling he was looking to shoot me in the back at the first chance." I said. It all made sense, his 'incompetence' from before when I woke up wasn't stupidity, it was a careful attempt to kill me before I could wake up. "And my feelings are never wrong."

"Good instincts." Damn right. "Some are far too trusting to see that coming." Miranda told me.

"So?" Jacob asked. "What do we do now?"

"We get off the station." Miranda said. "My boss wants to speak to you, Shepard."

"You mean the Illusive Man?" I crossed my arms. "I know you work for Cerberus."

"Ah, Jacob," She turned to the man, "I should've known your conscience would get the better of you."

"Lying to the Commander isn't the way to get her to join our cause." Jacob defended, crossing his arms.

"Well, since we're getting everything out in the open, is there anything else you want to ask?" Miranda turned to me.

"What about the others?" I asked. There was no way the three of us were the only ones left here.

"This is the evac area." Miranda said. "If they're not here now, they're not coming."

I narrowed my eyes. "We can't leave without knowing for sure. We need to go back and look."

"Don't you get it?" Miranda rhetorically asked. "The only one worth saving is you. Everyone else is expendable."

"She's right." Jacob agreed. "We all knew the risks when we signed up. Without you, there's no point to any of this."

I sighed in frustration. There was no way I would be able to launch a rescue mission on my own, though. "Then let's go. I've had enough of this station to last a lifetime."

"Or two, in your case. Come on." Miranda guided. The three of us boarded the shuttle, and strapped in, our bodies being thrown against the wall by the G-forces as we flew away from the station.

"Before you meet the Illusive Man," Miranda began, "We have to ask a few questions to evaluate your condition."

"Come on Miranda, more tests?" Jacob questioned. "Shepard took down those mechs without any trouble. That has to be good enough."

"It's been two years since the attack." Miranda defended. "The Illusive Man needs to know that Shepard's personality and memories are intact. Ask the questions."

I could see where Miranda was coming from, at least, but something was bugging me.

"Two years?" I repeated. "I've really been gone for that long?"

"Two years and twelve days." Jacob answered. "And you were on an operating table for most of it."

"The sooner we start, the sooner we can be done." Miranda reprimanded Jacob.

Jacob activated his omni-tool, and pulled up what I presumed was my file. "Okay, says here you were born on Earth, and found abandoned by police in Norway at Dårlig Ulv Stranden. You were then taken back to Canada by an Alliance Captain, your adoptive mother, Hannah Shepard. At eighteen, you enlisted and served on Elysium in the 501st garrison. Later, you almost single-handedly held off an attack by Batarian slavers on the colony. Sound about right?"

"Remember it clear as day." I replied. "Never knew who my biological parents were. Only that, for some reason, they gave me genetic enhancements beyond that of any other human... and then they decided I wasn't good enough for them."

"I'm sure that wasn't the case." Miranda said. "Okay, let's try something more recent. You had to leave behind a squadmate on Virmire, where you destroyed Saren's cloning facility."

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams was KIA." Jacob picked up from Miranda. "You made the call. Why did you leave her behind."

For a moment, I had to hold back the urge to scowl. It was all still so fresh in my mind. "I had to sacrifice a friend that day, and I didn't do it casually." I growled. "Either one of my team died, or Saren's army would've been free to rampage across the galaxy, and she wasn't about to let Kaidan sacrifice himself. If she hadn't... We'd probably all be dead right now."

"Understood, Commander." Jacob didn't press further.

"Shepard, think back to the Citadel." Miranda prompted. "After saving the Destiny Ascension, you nominated someone to be the new human councilor. Who did you choose?"

"Captain Anderson." I stated simply, not hesitating. A lot of the choices I made during the search for Saren weren't ones I made casually or with complete confidence in... with the exception of that one.

"Yes. Captain Anderson is now _Councilor_ Anderson. Though from what I hear he preferred life in the military."

"I can imagine." I chuckled. He looked like he damn near wanted to murder me when I put him up for the recommendation.

"Your memory certainly seems solid." Miranda said. "But there are other tests we really should-"

"Come on, Miranda. Enough with the quizzes." Jacob said. "Shepard's memories are there, and I can vouch for her combat skills personally."

"I suppose you're right." Miranda conceded. "Hopefully, the Illusive Man accepts our little field test as evidence enough."

I nodded, and relaxed, waiting for the shuttle to finally get to where we were going.

* * *

The Doctor, after getting everything that he could from something called a 'public extranet terminal,' started making his way back to the TARDIS, only to realize something.

"What!?" He shouted, channeling his tenth incarnation for a brief moment.

The alleyway that the TARDIS was supposed to be in was completely vacant.

"This is most certainly not good." The Doctor understated. "So, TARDIS gone, stuck on an unfamiliar space station... what to do? Hm... TARDIS first." He mumbled to himself, pulling out his sonic screwdriver. He pressed down the burron, and pointed it in a few different directions, waiting for the whirring to become the correct pitch. Now having an idea of in which direction the TARDIS was, the Doctor proceeded.

* * *

The shuttle docked, and the three of us disembarked. Miranda led Jacob and I into a waiting room, and got to her own work. "The Illusive man is waiting for you in the other room." The Cerberus operative said.

I nodded, and proceeded into the room Miranda pointed to, and walked down the steps. The door opened into a darker room, and I stepped onto the circular platform in the center of it.

The moment I stepped on, a holographic grid rose up from the circle, surrounding me on all sides. The grid flickered, and instantly, I was inside a large chamber, with a big window overlooking a dying star with red and blue hues. A man was sitting in a simple yet elegant chair in the center of the room, wearing a fancy suit, as he smoked a cigarette.

"Commander Shepard." The Illusive Man greeted, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Illusive Man." I deduced. "I thought we'd be meeting face to face."

"A necessary precaution." He said, tapping the ash of his cigarette. "Not unusual, for people who know what you and I know."

I huffed. He was being very cordial, though. "And what is that, exactly?"

"Humanity's presence in the galaxy is a lot more fragile than we like to think. And now, we're up against the greatest threat of our brief existence."

My eyes narrowed. "The Reapers."

"Good to see your memory's still intact." TIM smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Noticed I had some upgrades a few minutes ago." I said. "Hope you didn't replace anything too important."

"No. We needed you as you were when you defeated Saren and the Geth."

"Okay..." I raised an eyebrow. "What was it that made you decide to bring me back."

The Illusive Man stood up, and approached me. "We're at war. No one wants to admit it, but humanity is under attack. While you've been sleeping, entire colonies have been disappearing. _Human_ colonies. We believe it's someone working for the Reapers. Just as Saren and the Geth aided Sovereign. You know more about the Reapers than anyone else in the entire galaxy. Cerberus could have trained an entire army with what we spent to train you, but they wouldn't have your knowledge on the Reapers. Training an army ultimately becomes useless when you know literally nothing about the enemy you face."

"If this is a threat to humanity like you say, you need to contact the Alliance and tell them to mobilize." I pointed.

"They suffered substantial losses fighting Sovereign." TIM explained. "They're rebuliding, and their forces are stretched too thin to waste their resources verifying the Reaper threat. Blaming the abductions on mercs and pirates is easier, and more convenient."

Aw come on, all that work, all the hell I put myself through, just for nothing? "But Sovereign was trying to harvest _all_ life. Why would the Reapers only attack human colonies?"

"We don't know, not for certain. Perhaps it may be because a _human_ killed Sovereign."

"Okay, say I do believe you and buy that the Reapers are involved. What would you want me to do?"

TIM turned around, and moved to sit in his chair. "I have a shuttle waiting to take you to the most recently attacked colony - Freedom's Progress. Find any clues you can. Who's behind the abductions? Do they have any connection to the Reapers? I brought you back, Shepard. It's up to you to do the rest." TIM tapped a button on his chair, and terminated the commlink.

I sighed and shook my head. Looks like I wasn't gonna be able to get out of this anytime soon.


	5. Freedom's Progress

The Doctor roamed through the sprawling corridors of Omega, stopping once he reached the club, Afterlife. The sonic screwdriver's tracking mode reported that the TARDIS was inside the club. Who would take the TARDIS to a nightclub of all places, and why?

Deciding that he'd figure out later, he moved over to the club's entrance, attempting to enter before a large alien creature, known as an Elcor, stopped him.

"Stern: Move back, human. You have to wait like everyone else." The Elcor spoke in its monotone.

The Doctor, thinking quick, pulled out his psychic paper, and presented it to the Elcor.

"Terrified apology: I had no idea, sir." The Elcor moved aside. "Fearfully cordial: Please, enter."

The Doctor bowed, and entered the club. Apparently, the paper looked like a very formal invite to the club from Aria herself (whoever that was).

Shrugging, and storing the paper, the Doctor proceeded down the long hallway. The door opened, and immediately, the Doctor's senses were assaulted with a loud drum and bass mix, orange and red neon lighting, and the smell of alcohol filling the air. On the other side of the club, in a private booth, stood the TARDIS, surrounded by goons trying to get inside.

He found the TARDIS, but how was he going to get to it?

* * *

I sat in the seat of another shuttle, trying to keep stable as we proceeded en route to the colony Freedom's Progress.

"We should be there shortly, Shepard." Miranda said. "Orders?"

"Our first priority should be looking for survivors." I outlined, as I looked at a datapad detailing the major events that occurred over the past two years. "If someone did survive, then they can tell us what exactly happened."

"It's unlikely there'll be any, Commander." Miranda shot back to me. "No one was left at any of the other colonies. It's likely this one will be the same way."

"It would be nice to fine _somebody._ " Jacob said. "Anything's better than another ghost town."

The shuttle rocked as we hit the planet's atmosphere, finally coming to a rest when we landed on a small pad on the outskirts of a small mining town.

The three of stepped out, and proceeded to survey the are.

"Looks like everyone just got up and left right in the middle of dinner." Jacob commented, a bit unsettled, as we passed through a prefab cafeteria. He had good reason to be unsettled, I thought... people don't just up and vanish like this.

"No bodies, no signs of structural damage, or even spent thermal clips." Miranda noted as we came out of the cafeteria, passing through a large square. "Whatever happened to them, they didn't put up much of a fight."

I took point, opening a large blast door, revealing a large quantity of mechs on the other side.

Aw, shit.

"Mechs!" I shouted out, prompting Jacob and Miranda to duck into cover next to me.

"Strange. The security systems were deactivated at the other colonies." Miranda said, as she and the rest of us fought to keep the mechs away.

I groaned, as the shotgun wasn't going it, and pulled the assault rifle off my back, firing at the trio of mechs across the gap.

I succeeded in taking all three out, and moved to aid Miranda and Jacob.

Miranda sent out an overload, causing a mech to explode, with the explosion damaging its surrounding comrades. From there, it was easy to take out the remaining mechs.

"They shouldn't have been hostile." Jacob said as we moved forward along the walkway. This entire section of the colony seemed to be built in a quarry, if the rock walls were any indication. "They should've recognized our IFFs."

"These ones were probably hacked, too." I deduced. "Contacts." She pointed, as two mechs behind a low barrier activated. It was pathetically easy to take them down, and we entered the building they were guarding.

Inside was a group of Quarians, looking over a holographic map of the area. Our entrance caused the Quarians to quickly shoot up from their seats, and ready their weapons, my team doing the same.

"Prazza!" A younger Quarian got in the way of the Quarians holding their weapons. "You said you'd let me handle this!" The Quarian turned to face me, and stopped dead in her tracks. "Wait... _Shepard?"_

No... no way.

"I'm not taking any chances with Cerberus operatives!" The one in the green suit answered.

"Put those weapons down!" Tali ordered. "Shepard? Is that... you're _alive?_ "

I resisted the urge to grin. "Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself, _meimei_. One minute, I'm in space suffocating, the next I'm in a medical bay of some kind with a splitting headache. By the way, that geth data I give you help complete your Pilgrimage?"

"Yes... it did." Tali said. "Prazza, weapons down. This is definitely Commander Shepard."

"Why is your old Commander working for Cerberus?" Prazza asked, holstering his assault rifle.

"I don't know." Tali said slowly, looking at me. "Maybe we should ask."

"I got curious." I shrugged. It wasn't a lie, technically, but I wasn't about to tell her I felt like a hostage next to two people ready to shoot me in the back when they got the order. "They spent nearly four billion credits trying to bring me back, so I wanted to see why."

"Likely story." Prazza crossed his arms. "No organization would commit so many resources to bring back one soldier."

"You haven't seen Shepard in action." Tali told Prazza. "Trust me. It was money well spent." Tali then refocused her attention to Shepard. "Perhaps we can work together. We're here looking for a young Quarian named Veetor. He was here on Pilgrimage."

"Why'd he come here?" I wondered. Quarians weren't typically welcome in non-Quarian settlements.

"Quarians get to choose where they go on Pilgrimage." Tali explained. "Veetor always liked the idea of helping a small settlement. He was always, uh, nervous in crowds."

"She means he was unstable." Prazza piped up. "Combine that with damage to his suit's CO2 scrubbers and an infection from open-air exposure, and he's likely delirious."

"When he saw us landing, he hid in a warehouse on the far side of town. We suspect that he also reprogrammed the mechs to attack anything that moved."

"Veetor's the only one that knew what was going on here." I said. "We should split up, draw enemy fire away from each other."

"Good idea." Tali nodded. "You'll need two teams to get past the drones."

"Now we're working with Cerberus?" Prazza asked, a bit incredulous at the mere suggestion of the idea.

"No, Prazza, you're working for me." Tali got stern. "If you can't follow orders, go wait on the ship." She told him, then turned to me. "Head for the warehouse on the far side of town. We'll circle around the far side and draw off some of the drones to clear you a path."

I smiled. She'd definitely grown up since we'd last seen each other.

"Sounds like a plan." I nodded in agreement. "Make sure to stay in radio contact."

"Will do." Tali responded. "Good luck, Shepard. Oh, and by the way... it's good to see you again."

"You too." I smiled in response.

The Quarians went first, heading out the door on the far end of the room, leaving the three of us to take the door on the left. Three hovering security drones whizzed past, flying up ahead to cut off my team. We moved through more buildings, stopping at a large outdoor pavilion, where the drones had set down. We dove into cover, quickly getting out of the drones' sights.

Fortunately, they weren't that tough to deal with. The drones had the ability to fly quite easily, but to do so meant sacrificing even the most basic armor plating. To make up for it, they had shields, but they were quite weak, which meant that a few well-placed overloads cracked the drones wide-open.

_"Shepard!"_ Tali radioed. _"Prazza and his squad rushed on ahead. I told them to wait, but they wouldn't listen! They want to find Veetor and take him away before you get here!"_

Great, just my luck. This guy was going to get himself and his squad killed. "Come on, we can still catch up to them." I led the other two through more buildings, eventually coming to a large quarry-like area, with another blast door set into the rock. More drones flew down from the air, being taken out by a few overloads and well-timed shots. After the last of the drones were destroyed, I ordered Jacob and Miranda on the side of each door, with me ducking down behind a barrier directly in front of the door.

The door then opened, revealing a grizzly sight, and it took all within me to hold back the urge to gag.

A large mechanized behemoth, the YMIR mech, was mowing down Prazza's squad, quite literally crushing one of them. Tali, fortunately, seemed unharmed, but it wouldn't remain that way for long if we didn't take care of it.

My squad rushed in, ducking behind a stack of crates set up near a light.

"That mech's got heavy armor plating!" Jacob shouted out. "It's gonna take some really big guns to crack it!"

Miranda fired a high-powered overload at the mech, taking out its shields, but at the expense of having a greatly increased recharge time.

Myself, thinking fast, got the grenade launcher I still had from the Lazarus Research station. It unfolded, and I found herself taking aim at the walking giant. If I didn't take it down quick, it'd rip us to shreds.

Two shots from the grenade launcher were able to damage its armor enough to allow normal weapons to finish it off, but doing so was no small task.

The moment I or one of the others up from cover, the YMIR would react with lightning-fast reflexes, shooting at us.

Which meant that getting a shot clear enough would be nearly impossible.

But like all mass effect based weaponry, the mech needed to vent the built-up heat in order to prevent damage. If one of us could get a shot on the mech in just the right place while it was doing so, then it wouldn't be able to vent said heat.

"Miranda!" I shouted out. "I'm going to distract it, once it starts venting, you take the shot!"

Miranda nodded in compliance, and I sprinted out of cover, making sure to keep within the mech's sights.

The large automaton slowly pivoted around, firing it's machine gun as it turned. The mech stopped firing, and two small panels on its back opened, allowing the heat to vent out.

Miranda, seeing her opportunity, fired into one of the vents, the shot damaging the mechanism that opened the vents. The vents closed, and a large crack came from the mech, signaling that the vents' opening mechanism had been broken. The mech, after continuously firing for a few more moments, stopped. It tried to vent the built up heat, but couldn't, making it impossible to fire its weapons.

The three of us, seeing our chance, popped out of their cover, and focused all fire on the mech, causing it to explode in a blaze of glory.

"Nice work." I complimented. "Let's get to Veetor, find out what happened, and get out of here." I said, entering the warehouse.

Inside, a Quarian was sat in front of a large array of monitors. "Monsters coming back." The Quarian rambled frantically. "Mechs will protect. Safe from swarms. Have to hide. No monsters. No swarms. No-no-no-no-no."

Oh damn... If his babbling was any indication, his mind was long gone.

"Veetor?" I addressed.

"No Veetor. Not here. Swarms can't find. Monsters coming. Have to hide." Veetor continued to ramble.

"Relax, Veetor. There aren't any monsters here." I tried to calm him down, approaching slowly, but he just kept rambling.

"I don't think he can hear you, Commander." Jacob said, looking down at the frantic alien.

In response, I activated her omni tool, tapping a few controls on it. I waved it in the air, causing the screens to crash and deactivate.

Veetor leaned back from the keyboard, and got up, turning around to face the three of us. "You're human." Veetor noted in amazement. "Where did you hide? Why didn't they find you?"

"We're not survivors, Veetor." I gently explained. "We only just got here."

"You don't know." Veetor said, turning back to the screens. "You didn't see. But I see everything." Veetor entered a few commands, and surveillance video of the colony started playing.

On the screen, cockroach-like humanoids were carting off pods of some kind, while swarms of what looked like bugs clouded the screen.

"What the hell is that?" Jacob asked, looking at the alien.

"I think..." Miranda looked amazed and surprised. "I think it's a Collector."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "A what?"

"A Collector." Miranda repeated. "We don't know much about them, they usually work through intermediaries, like slavers or hired mercenaries. If they're involved with the Reapers somehow, it could explain what happened to the Colonies."

"What I want to know is _how_ they keep taking whole colonies." I stated.

"From the small samples we've got from them, the Collectors have technology light-years ahead of ours. They could have something that disables a whole settlement at once." Jacob hypothesized.

"The seeker swarms." Veetor told them. "Tiny machines, like insects. The seekers find you. Freeze you. Then the monsters take you away."

"Freeze?" Miranda repeated. "Sounds like the seekers hit their victims with some kind of stasis field or nerve toxin."

"How'd you avoid being frozen?" I asked Veetor, trying to remain kind.

"Swarms didn't find me. Monsters didn't know I was here." Veetor explained.

"Sounds like either his suit protected him, or they weren't seeking out non-human life-signs." Jacob theorized.

"What happened after the seekers froze everyone?" I motioned for him to continue.

"The monsters took the people onto the ship, and then they left." Veetor explained quickly. "The ship flew away. But they'll be back for me. No one escapes!"

"I think that's all we're going to get out of him, Commander." Jacob said.

"Thank you, Veetor." I bowed my head politely. "You were very helpful."

"I studied them." Veetor told Shepard. "The monsters. The swarms. I recorded them with my omni tool. Lots of readings. Electro-magnetic. Dark energy."

"We need to get this data to the Illusive Man." Miranda said. "Grab the Quarian, and-"

"What?" Tali interrupted, walking in. "No! Veetor needs a doctor, not an interrogator!"

"We won't hurt him." Jacob said. "We'll bring him back after he gives us what we need."

"Veetor goes with Tali, end of story." I stated, making it clear that was the end of the discussion. As much as I wanted her to come with us, Veetor needed help first, help he wouldn't get from Cerberus.

"Thank you, Shepard. I'm glad you're the one still giving the orders." Tali sounded like she was about ready to hug me. She took her own omni-tool, and sent something to mine. "Here's all of Veetor's omni-tool data. Think of it as a thank you present. I've got to go, but it was good seeing you again. Good luck out there, Shepard." She said, as she left the warehouse, and went back to her ship.

* * *

The holocommunicator activated, and I was once again transported to the Illusive Man's office.

"Shepard. Good work on Freedom's Progress." He complimented. "The Quarians have sent forward their findings from Veetor's debriefing. No new data, but it's a surprising olive branch, given our history. You and I have different methods, but I can't argue with the results."

I crossed my arms. "It pays to have actual friends every once in a while."

"Diplomacy is great when it works, but difficult when everyone already perceives you as a threat." I scoffed mentally, what would the leader of a terrorist group know about diplomacy? "But more importantly, you confirmed the Collectors are behind the abductions."

"Somehow, I get the feeling that you already knew." I shook my head.

"I had my suspicions, but I needed proof. The Collectors are enigmatic at best. They periodically travel to the Terminus Systems, looking to gather seemingly important items or specimens. Usually in exchange for their technology. When their transactions are complete, they disappear as quickly as they arrived, back beyond the unmapped Omega 4 relay. Until now, we've had no direct evidence of their aggression."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why's the Omega 4 relay unmapped? What do we know about it?" Not all of the mass relay network has been explored, but for virtually nothing to be known about a single relay was unheard of.

"Only that no ship passing through it has ever returned." The Illusive Man tapped some ash off his cigarette. "Our best guess is that the relay somehow reacts differently to Collector vessels, allowing them safe passage. If they can manipulate relays like that, then that's only more evidence of a connection to the Reapers."

"Any ideas on why they're targeting humans?"

"If the Collectors are agents for the Reapers, it could be any number of reasons. Humanity played a key role in destroying Sovereign. That might have been enough to get their attention. Why really concerns me is why bother abducting the colonists?. If they're paralyzed, why not just kill them?"

That made sense. If they wanted to kill them, it wasn't worth the hassle, unless... "You said before that the Collectors have taken people before. What do they get from those kinds of deals?"

"The Collectors aren't very forthcoming about their motives. Generally, they seek out species with rare genetic mutations or abnormalities. A dozen two-hearted humans, for instance. They pay slavers or merc groups exorbitant sums to obtain these specimens. And then they leave. But they've never targeted one single species before. And the previous samples were in the dozens, not the tens of thousands."

"But how do we know there's a connection to the Reapers?"

"The Collectors only started targeting humans after the destruction of Sovereign by you and the fifth fleet. The abductions _are_ related, even if the Council and the Alliance refuse to believe it. I'm not going to wait while the Reapers are on the march. We need to take the fight to them."

I nodded in agreement. I wasn't going to just sit around and let it happen, not on my watch. "If I'm doing that, I'll need an army. Or a really good team."

"I've already complied a list of soldiers, scientists, and mercenaries." He said, as a smaller holoscreen activated next to his chair. "You'll get dossiers on the best of them. Finding them and convincing them to work with you could be challenging, but you're a natural leader. I'll continue to track the Collectors. When they make their next appearance, I'll notify you and your team. Be ready."

"Done." I said. "Just so you know, this does not make me part of Cerberus. If you do one thing that I don't like, this partnership is over."

"I wouldn't expect anything else." The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette. "Two things before you go: First, head to Omega and find Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant Salarian scientist. Our intelligence suggests that he may be able to find a way to counteract the seeker swarms."

"Sounds good. The other thing?"

"I found a pilot I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best. Someone you can trust." The Illusiva Man finished, and the link cut.

"Hey, Commander." Someone greeted as they entered. I turned around to face the man.

Joker smiled. "Just like old times, huh?"


	6. Omega

"I can't believe it's you, Joker." Shepard said, as the two walked through the corridors of Minuteman Station.

"Look who's talking, I saw you get _spaced._ " Joker responded.

"I got lucky. With a _lot_ of strings attached. How'd you get here?"

"It all fell apart without you, Commander. Everything you stirred up, the Council just wanted it gone. Team was broken up, records sealed, and I was grounded. The Alliance took away the one thing that mattered to me, hell yeah I joined Cerberus."

"You really trust the Illusive Man?" Shepard asked, as the two stopped in front of a large window, overlooking a silhouette of a starship.

"I don't trust anyone who makes more than I do. But they saved your life, let me fly... And then there's this." Joker said, as lights started illuminating the ship. "They only told me last night."

Each one of the lights reflected off a shiny metal hull, showing off an almost identical recreation of the Normandy, albeit painted in Cerberus colors.

As the light glistened off the hull, Shepard thought she would cry.

"It's good to be home, huh Commander?" Joker said, looking over the replica.

"I guess we'll have to give her a name."

There was only one choice in that regard.

Shepard exited the Normandy's airlock, and started to walk down the corridor linking the bridge to the CIC. Several workstations lined the walkway, with the crewmembers at their posts.

Shepard stopped at the top of the stairs and looked over the CIC. Finally, it felt like she was really, properly back.

"Welcome aboard the new Normandy, Commander." Jacob said.

Shepard walked down the stairs and stopped in front of the Normandy hologram.

"I've been looking over the dossiers." Miranda said. "I strongly recommend starting with Mordin Solus, the Salarian scientist on Omega. He's quite possibly the only one that can provide us with a countermeasure for the seeker swarms."

"And without that countermeasure, we'll be helpless if the Collectors decide to attack us." Shepard agreed, making a mental note to head for Solus first.

"I'll tell Mr Moreau to set a course for Omega immediately, Commander." A voice rang from overhead.

"Who are you?" Shepard asked. Behind her, a blue hologram, resembling a pawn, was projected over one of the terminals.

"I am the Normandy's artificial intelligence. The crew like to refer to me as EDI."

"Helmsmen aren't happy when someone takes control of the ship away from them." Shepard shook her head. "Especially Joker."

"I do not helm the ship." EDI explained. "Mr Moreau's talents will not go to waste. During combat, I operate the electronic warfare and cyberwarfare suites. Beyond that, I cannot interface with the ship's systems. I observe and offer analysis and advice, nothing more." She said, disappearing.

"Right, since EDI's already taken care of the course setting part, I'll be in my quarters. Somehow, even though I've been dead for two years, I feel like I haven't slept in days."

"Got it, Commander. I'll let you know when we arrive." Miranda said.

Shepard nodded, and went up to her quarters, intent on getting some shut eye.

Then, all of a sudden, a man (probably one of the crew, yet his uniform didn’t match the rest of them.) rushed up to her and took off his bowtie (Who even wore those anymore?). "See? Like so." Then, he ran off.

Shepard just shrugged and continued.

_Several hours later_

The Normandy zipped through space, approaching the mushroom-shaped space station known as Omega. The ship maneuvered into a docking cradle, and the docking tube attached to the Normandy's airlock.

Shepard, Miranda, and Jacob disembarked.

"This place is disgusting." Shepard vocalized her present disgust, looking at the scenery.

"Ah! Welcome to Omega!" A Salarian greeted them. "You're new, aren't you? I can always tell. Allow me to-"

"Leave, Fargut." A batarian ordered, coming up from behind the Salarian. "Now."

"Of-of course, Moklan! Whatever she wants!" The Salarian then promptly ran away.

"Blasted scavengers. Welcome to Omega... Shepard."

"You know who I am?"

"Of course." The batarian got condescending. "We had you tagged the moment you entered the terminus systems. You're not as subtle as you think. Aria wants to know what brings a dead Spectre to Omega. I suggest you go to Afterlife now and present yourself."

"I'll go to afterlife when I damn well please. Now get lost." She drew her pistol.

The batarian shook his head, and walked away.

"I'm receiving quarantine warnings in the slums where Doctor Solus runs the clinic. Anticipate resistance at the transport station. I have also accessed messages between mercenary groups regarding plans to deal with Archangel. There is a recruiter in Afterlife that may have more information. The sensor black spot identical to the one detected by the original Normandy is also inside the club."

"So, Afterlife it is." Shepard said, continuing forth. As she got closer to the exit of the docking bay, Shepard noticed somebody beating up a batarian pretty badly. Remembering an E-Mail that the Illusive Man had sent her, she approached. "You Zaeed Massani?"

The man turned around, revealing his worn, heavily scarred face. "Yeah. That's me. You must be Commander Shepard. I hear we have a galaxy to save."

"Welcome aboard, Zaeed. Get your gear and get aboard." She then looked down at the injured batarian. "After you deal with him, of course."

"Of course. I assume the Illusive Man told you about our arrangement?"

"Not really, no."

"Hmm, good thing I decided to ask, then. Picked up a mission a while back, before I signed on with Cerberus. Thought you might be interested. You heard the name Vido Santiago? He's the head of the Blue Suns, runs the whole damn organization. Seems he recently captured an Edfell-Ashland refinery on Zorya, and is using the workers for slave labor. The company wants it dealt with."

"I think we have time to do that."

"Good. Get it out of the way so we can focus on being big goddamn heroes."

The batarian behind them suddenly shot up and started printing to the end of the hall. Zaeed just took his pistol and shot the batarian in the leg. "I better turn this thing in before it starts to stink." He said, picking up the alien. "I'll be locked and loaded the next time you're ready to get some killing done." With that, he walked off.

Shepard and co followed suit, and left the docking bay, and entered Omega proper.

Thumping music came from the large building marked 'Afterlife.' Several people were lined up to enter, members of the various species among them.

The large doors opened, and the three stepped insides, into a long corridor. As the team went along, a group of three batarians suddenly got in the way.

"What're you looking at?" The batarian growled.

Shepard was fast to draw her pistol. "The man whose day I'm about to ruin."

"Uh... I'm not looking for trouble." The batarian stammered.

"Maybe _I_ am." Shepard retaliated. "Maybe you'd better get out of here before I find you some."

"Alright, alright." The batarian quivered. "I've got stuff to do anyway." The batarian turned to his comrades. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

One of the batarians, however, didn't let it go. He tilted his head and made a cutting motion at his throat.

Shepard just shot him right in the knee. "Next one's going somewhere a _lot_ more uncomfortable."

The batarian just limped off in fear.

"Damn." Jacob commented. "That was pretty stone cold."

Shepard nodded, though she didn't look exactly pleased. "I've been to places like this before. You _have_ to let people know not to mess with you. Otherwise, you'll end up in a ditch."

The three walked through another large door and entered the club. Music and the sounds of partying filled their ears, as the three walked around the club. Shepard, spotting a strangely dressed man looking very uncomfortable. The man seemed... off, somehow. Like he was _wrong_ in some fundamental way she couldn't put her finger on, and he was… familiar somehow. Curious, Shepard approached.

"Not your kind of place, is it?" She asked the stranger.

"No. The music's too loud, and I'm pretty sure a breathalyzer would explode just from the open air." The stranger looked around in discomfort. "And the dancers creep me out. They're _too_ flexible."

"Not many people have that opinion of the asari." Shepard frowned. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I'm a traveler. More on the wanderer side, if I'm honest. Just popped in for a little look then someone stole my transport." The stranger explained, after a moment of silent thinking. "See that box up there?"

"The one marked 'Police?'"

"Yeah. I went off for five minutes, and when I come back..." The stranger made a sort of explosion sign with his hands. "At first, I had assumed she dematerialized, but I didn't hear the engines going..."

Shepard thought the man was crazy, who wouldn't? But she decided to humor him. "What if I got it back for you?"

"You'd do that?" The stranger was quite obviously surprised.

"Yeah, helping people's kind of what I do. Call it a compulsion." Shepard said. "I'll go get your box, and be back before you know it. Cross my hearts." Leaving the man to his own devices, Shepard walked away.

"Commander, while you two were talking I took the time to scan the box." Miranda began. “It’s a sensor black spot, five feet long, five feet wide, and twelve feet tall… just like the one recorded by the original Normandy before its destruction."

"Okay, strange man asking us to get the box which also happens to be the sensor black spot the Normandy recorded. That's most definitely not a coincidence. When we get back to him, we're asking that man just what the hell is going on." Shepard led the team up the stairs, past the guards, and up to Aria.

"That's close enough." Aria ordered, looking over the club.

The three stopped in their tracks as Aria's goons started pointing weapons. One of the guards holstered his pistol, and started scanning Shepard, the scan coming up negative.

"If you're trying to scan for weapons, you're doing a really shitty job." Shepard remarked.

"Can't be too careful with dead spectres." Aria said. "Could be anyone wearing your face."

"She's clean." The batarian doing the scanning said.

"You're the one who runs Omega?" Shepard asked as she approached.

Aria laughed. "I _am_ Omega. But you need more. Everyone needs more something. And they all come to me. I'm the boss, CEO, Queen if you're feeling dramatic. It doesn't matter. Omega has no titled ruler and only _one_ rule." Aria sat down. "Don't _fuck_ with Aria." The Asari smiled.

"Sounds like me and you have similar rules." Shepard commented.

Aria just offered Shepard a seat.

"So, what can I do for you?" Aria asked.

"I'm looking for somebody called 'Archangel.'"

"Archangel?" Aria's eyebrow-shaped tattoos rose. "You want him dead too?"

"No. I want him to join me on my team."

"Interesting. You are going to make some enemies teaming up with Archangel. That's assuming you van get to him. He's in a _lot_ of trouble right now."

"What kind of trouble?"

"The local merc groups have joined forces to take him down. They've got him cornered, but it sounds like they're having trouble finishing him off. They started hiring _anyone_ with a gun to help."

"That's probably our ticket in." Jacob commented.

"They've set up a recruiting station just over there. I'm sure they'll let you in."

"I'm also looking for Mordin Solus. You know where I can find him?"

"The salarian doctor? Last I heard he was trying to help plague victims in the quarantine zone. I always liked Mordin. He was always as likely to heal you as he was to shoot you."

"Where is he?"

"The Gozu district slums. There's a transport station over in the markets. Anything else?"

"Yeah. I talked to the man who owns that box. He wants it back."

Aria scowled. "Take it. It's been nothing but trouble."

Shepard was curious. "How?"

"Two of my men broke every bone in their arms trying to force those doors open. Then, another one got his leg chopped off while trying to cut through it with blade saw. After that, a Krogan got hospitalized while trying to headbutt it open. At this point, I just want it gone. Hell, I'll even roll out the red carpet."

"Okay, glad that's settled." Shepard got up. "Thanks for the info."

"Yeah. Just make sure that box is out of my sight within fifteen minutes, and we won't have any problems."

Shepard walked back down the stairs, and to the stranger. "I got your box back for you."

"Oh, really?" The stranger look excited. "Thanks... whoever you are."

"Don't mention it. Name's Shepard." She held out her hand, and the man took it, shaking it in earnest. "You know, I don't think I got your name either."

"It's the Doctor." The Doctor introduced.

Shepard frowned. Who introduced themselves by title, and pretended it was their name. She'd be quite pretentious if she went around calling herself 'The Commander,' Shepard thought. "Doctor? Doctor Who?"

The Doctor's eyes sparkled. "That's quite a dangerous question, don't you know."

"Yeah? Well, danger's part of my job." Shepard smiled. "So, that box of yours... what is it?"

"I suppose a little looksie couldn't hurt." The Doctor shrugged. "But your, ah, friends will have to stay outside. 'S a bit cramped." He said, as they walked up the stairs to the TARDIS. "You ready?" He unlocked the doors, and pushed the right one in. Shepard entered first, and the Doctor followed close behind, shutting the door before anyone else could see inside.

The moment Shepard crossed the door threshold, her hearts began to pound uncontrollably, and the back of her head, in her mind itself, began to tingle. Something slumbering within her stirred.

"Oh. My. _God!_ " Shepard breathed softly, her voice, though soft, echoed off the walls of the cavernous room. "It's..."

"Aren't you going to say it's bigger on the inside?" The Doctor prompted.

"That's quite obvious, isn't it?" Shepard looked around the console room. "TARDIS..." Shepard whispered, examining the console. "Time And Relative Dimension In Space... We did it."

The Doctor was taken aback, but quickly hid it before Shepard could turn around and spot him. "How do you know that?" The Doctor frowned.

"I don't recall..." Shepard tilted her head at the column. "I've heard the word somewhere before, I think. A second ago, you said this was your ship... How does it move? Does it fly?”

The Doctor held up his finger in a 'hold that thought' gesture, and started setting the controls. He hit the dematerialization lever, and the engines engaged. A moment later, they stopped again. He motioned for Shepard to wait, and he stepped outside.

A moment later, he came back in, his bowtie missing from around his neck.

"That was you!" Shepard realized. "Oh my god, this is a time machine!" She excitedly beamed. "Are you from the future?"

"Depends on what you mean." He said, tying his bowtie. "I'm sure I come from _someone's_ future."

"I have so many questions." Shepard said. Then, all of a sudden, something entered her mind, radiating a warm feeling of calmness and serenity. "What's that? It feels… warm."

"What?" The Doctor looked up from setting the controls back for Omega. "Oh, that's probably the TARDIS just forming the telepathic link. Funny. It's usually undetectable by humans."

The TARDIS's engines stopped, and the ship materialized on Omega once more.

"Here we are, back on Omega." The Doctor said, guiding Shepard to the door. "Sorry I couldn't give you a proper trip, but, well, you are a soldier. You probably have soldier things to go do."

"I do. Thank you, Doctor. This was certainly a unique experience." Shepard said. "You know, it's funny."

"Eh?" The Doctor questioned. "What is?"

"Just a few weeks ago, for me at least, I was fighting a machine god from the dawn of time. Now I'm in a bigger on the inside wooden box that can travel in time." Shepard shook her head. "I'll never want for excitement, that's for sure."

"Machine god?" The Doctor's eyebrows rocketed up. "From the dawn of time?

"Sovereign." Shepard corrected. The Doctor gave her a flat look. "You know, the Reaper that attacked the Citadel two years ago?"

"Reaper?" The Doctor repeated. "Citadel?"

"You know, the seat of government for all of Council Space?" Shepard questioned.

The Doctor kept silent.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Shepard realized. "Two years ago, a Spectre named Saren went rogue and allied himself with the geth to bring the Reapers back into the galaxy. Soveriegn was one of them, and it indoctrinated Saren into doing its bidding. They wanted to let the Reapers back into the galaxy so they could destroy every living thing in the galaxy. Just before Sovereign's plans succeeded, I managed to stop them. But the Reapers are still coming, a whole armada of them, and we barely managed to survive an attack from _one."_

"Ah, well." The Doctor said. "That does sound like quite a pickle... But never mind that, I'll take the case!"

Shepard frowned. "What case?"

"This Reaper business, of course. See, I help people. Call it a compulsion." The Doctor turned Shepard's words back on her.

Shepard leaned away from him, taken aback slightly. "And what makes you so sure you can help? And that I'll accept it?"

The TARDIS brought him here for a reason, the Doctor was sure of it, and he could feel the timelines twisting around Shepard like they were dancing. Whoever this woman was, she was at the center of it all. But the Doctor didn't feel the need to elaborate on that. Tell someone they're a point at which the whole universe turns around, and they start getting egotistical. So he went with a simplified explanation.

The Doctor turned away from Shepard and stared at the TARDIS console. "There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things... Things that act against everything we believe in..." He turned back, "They must be fought."

Shepard stared at him. "Who _are_ you?"

"Like I said; I am the Doctor." The Time Lord smiled. "And I'm here to help."

Shepard stared at him blankly. "...Docking cradle three, that's where the Normandy, my ship, is." Shepard poked him. "If you _really_ want to help, and you don't mind danger, get yourself on board, and be ready for the long haul."

The Doctor gave a half-serious salute, and Shepard nodded, stepping out of the TARDIS.

The door slammed shut behind Shepard, and the Doctor walked over to the console, and set the controls for the place Shepard gave him.

He threw the dematerialization lever, and the TARDIS lurched as it entered flight. The ship settled a moment later with a thud, and the Doctor walked over to the door.

Before he found the strength to open the door, the Doctor stopped in his tracks. Exploring a space station that he'd never been on before was one thing, getting involved in a fight against genocidal machines was another, and so soon after New York...

The Doctor clenched his fist. He was right, this was another thing. If he was to believe Shepard, a thing that didn't just affect him, but every living creature in this galaxy.

The Doctor made a note to find what personnel files he could, if he was going to help them, he needed to know who he was dealing with.

A new resolve in his mind, the Doctor threw the door open, and stepped out onto the Normandy.


	7. Professor Solus

"Wait, you just _let_ him on the ship!?" Miranda demanded, as she paced inside the Normandy’s briefing room.

"Relax, Miranda." Shepard tried to calm the Cerberus operative down. "He's good."

"Oh, really!? _A complete unknown_ is safe to let on board the ship!? You should have cleared this with me first."

Shepard frowned. "In case you forgot, it's _my_ ship, not yours. I'll let on board who I damn well please."

"I get that, Shepard, but we know nothing about him. Who he is, where he's from, or what his motives are! And you let him on board without a second thought."

"Miranda, right now my hunch is telling me that that man is someone we want to have on our side. And my hunches have never been wrong." Shepard said. “Besides, something about him is… familiar. I can’t quite place my finger on it.”

"If there's one thing I've learned with twenty years of merc work, is to always follow your gut." Zaeed interjected.

"See? Zaeed agrees with me."

"Because he's been paid to."

"Okay, if you won't accept my hunch as him being good enough, I'll simply say this. The things I saw... He couldn't fake them, at least, not without going through a lot of trouble for one woman." Shepard said. "For the moment, he's worthy of a little modicum of trust."

"Shepard, you still haven't told any of us what you saw in the box."

"And I don't intend to. Everyone has secrets, and that one's his to tell. Now, I believe we have a Professor to recruit." Shepard said.

"Is your new friend coming along?" Miranda asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, why not? I need to see how he does in the field, and there's no better way to test that than bringing him along. Myself, Jacob, Zaeed, and the Doctor will get suited up. You'll have command of the Normandy until we get back."

"Understood, Commander."

* * *

"...That can't be right." The Doctor said, looking at the screen. Pulled up, stolen directly from Cerberus’s databanks, was Shepard’s personnel file, which had been stolen from the Alliance database.

It listed everything, her DOB, family members, a short career history… but the two things the Doctor was interested in the most were the sections pertaining to her medical history, and her birthplace.

“Two hearts, enhanced lungs, anomalous brain structure…” The Doctor muttered to himself. “Place of Birth… Bad Wolf Bay. But that place doesn’t even exist on Earth, my Earth, unless…”

The Doctor came to an uncomfortable conclusion, as he searched the Extranet. “Let’s see, history of Earth up to the early 2000s…”

The Doctor’s eyes flicked through the results at an unprecedented rate, and he inhaled sharply, pulling back from the screen.

“So, that’s how it is…” The Doctor muttered to himself. “I’ve jumped the void, and judging by the history… I’ve been here before.” He muttered, frowning. “But how is the TARDIS still drawing energy? Could be a rift, or since the damage caused by coming over here wasn’t as bad, or…”

A sudden knock came from the doors.

The Doctor rushed to answer it, seeing one of Shepard's crew outside, the Cerberus officer. "Ah! Yes! Hello!" The Doctor vigorously shook her hand, shutting the door behind him. "I'm the Doctor." He said, releasing her hand.

"Yes, quite right." Miranda looked a bit put off by the Time Lord's enthusiasm. "The Commander's going on a mission, and she wants you to go along as well. Head up to the armor and get a suit-"

"Don't need it."

"-and a few weapons."

"Don't need them." The Doctor said.

"There's going to be a lot of shooting in all likelihood."

The Doctor shrugged. "Never stopped me before." He locked the TARDIS and went over to the Normandy's elevator. He stepped inside and went up a few decks.

Miranda blinked, not expecting the encounter to go anything like this. Granted, it could've gone a lot worse, but...

She was in the cargo bay, alone, with the Doctor's mysterious box.

Anything could happen.

* * *

The Doctor walked through the CIC, and stepped into the airlock, where Shepard and her team were waiting.

"Didn't I tell Miranda to get you some weapons and armor?" Shepard rhetorically asked, already knowing the answer, figuring that Miranda had ignored her.

"Don't need them." Okay, maybe she didn't already know the answer.

"Doctor, there's more than likely going to be shooting. Without a weapon and armor, what're you going to do to defend yourself?"

"I don't need a weapon to defend myself. Not when I have this." The Doctor produced a wand-like apparatus from his inner coat pocket.

"And what's that."

"A sonic screwdriver."

"Yeah, and I bet you have a laser spanner, too." Zaeed chuckled.

"I did, but Emmeline Pankhurst stole it from me." The Doctor explained completely seriously.

"And what's a 'Sonic Screwdriver' going to do against this?" Shepard asked, holding up her gun.

The Doctor remained silent, instead opting to just show Shepard. He flicked the screwdriver open, and pointed it at Shepard, pressing the button. The Doctor then took the gun from Shepard, looking at it in disgust as he did so, but still took it.

He pointed it at the wall, pulled the trigger, and nothing happened.

He used the screwdriver on the gun again and handed it back to Shepard.

"Okay, that's actually kind of useful." Shepard admitted. "Just don't use it on any of us." The airlock opened, and the four left the ship.

* * *

The four approached a Turian guarding a door with a holographic overlay.

"I told you to get lost, lady!" The turian argued with a human woman. "The plague has the whole zone quarantined! Nobody gets in!"

"I'm human you ass!" The woman shouted back. "Humans can't get the plague! Now let me in before someone takes my stuff!"

"This thing affects every other race out there! We're not taking chances. Nobody gets in until the plague has run its course." The turian said.

"There's a salarian named Mordin Solus in there." Shepard said to the guard. "I've got to go in there and find him."

"The doctor? Crazy bastard opened up a clinic in the district a few months back. The Blue Suns weren't too happy when he moved in. I hear he's trying to deal with the plague. I wish him luck, but the area's still locked down. Our orders are to wait until either the plague or the Blue Suns kill everyone, then go in and clean up."

"Look, do we look like looters to you?" Shepard asked, pointing at herself and her charges. "If I find any looters or Blue Suns, I'll kill them. Anyone gets in my way, I'll kill them too."

"Okay, you think you can fix this, why not? I'll radio ahead, let them know you're coming."

"Wait, you're stopping me but not them?" The human from earlier asked. "You son of a bitch!"

"You don't have a grenade launcher lady." The turian responded. "Now get lost."

Shepard, meanwhile, walked back over to her group.

"Fortunately enough for us, humans are immune." Jacob pointed out.

"Fortunately for most of us." The Doctor corrected. "I should still be fine, though. Us Time Lords, we tend to be immune to most forms of disease."

"You sure?" Shepard wanted to make sure.

"Positive." The Doctor nodded. "Unless it's been specifically designed to attack a Time Lord's immune system, I'll be right as rain. Oh, forget that last bit, that was rubbish."

Shepard just shook her head, and led the three through the airlock into the quarantine zone. Once they stepped through, all of them that had weapons readied them, and prepared to fight.

"Don't shoot, they're clear to come in." One of the guards said to the others as Shepard's team approached the checkpoint.

"'Gozu District'" The Doctor read from one of the signs as they passed. "Sounds a bit too much like 'Gozer' for my tastes... You know, that kind of reminds me of the time I met an Elder God..."

Shepard ignored him, instead leading the three into the district proper. She spotted two Blue Suns in front of a door, and readied her sniper rifle. She took aim at one of their heads, and opened fire, blowing off his head. The other one was also easily dealt with.

"You okay?" Shepard looked over at the Doctor, who looked _very_ disgusted.

"Yeah, it's just... Leaving the dead in the streets like this?"

"It looks like they were burning them. Trying to keep the plague from spreading." Jacob said.

"That still doesn't exclude common courtesy." The Doctor said.

"Come on." Shepard ordered. "We can argue ethics later."

The team moved forward, but Shepard stopped when they came across a batarian sitting on the floor, writhing in pain.

Shepard approached, and crouched down to eye level.

"Human." The sick batarian spat. "Should have guessed." He coughed. "Bad enough you infect us with this plague. Now you lack the decency to even wait until I die before you come to steal my possessions."

"We're not here to rob you." Shepard said. "We're here to help. Is there anything we can do?"

"Get away, human!" The batarian suddenly shouted, leveling a weapon. "Your kind has done too much already! Your plague did this to me. Your feigned pity is the final insult."

"Fine, be that way. I'm here to find Mordin Solus, you know where he is?"

"Humans looking for the human sympathizer. I hope the Vorcha burn he and his clinic to the ground." The batarian started to get worse. "I hope you... I hope..." The batarian started hacking.

Shepard sighed, and activated her omni-tool, applying medi-gel to the batarian. "This probably won't cure it, but it'll help."

The batarian looked amazed. "You... you helped me. Why?"

"Everyone, no matter what they've done, deserve at least a little kindness." Shepard said. "I don't like batarians, but they're also on that list. Now, I'm going to go cure this plague, but to do that I need to find Mordin. Where is he?"

"Your words sound... sincere. Maybe it's the fever, but... what do I have to lose? His clinic is on the far side of the district, near the environmental control fans. The route there's swarmed with Blue Suns and Vorcha, but you look like you can handle them. But be careful with Mordin, he's... dangerous."

"How so?" Shepard wondered.

"The Blue Suns tried to press him for protection money. He stunned them with some kind of nerve toxin, then gunned them down. He's not just a doctor. Doctors don't execute people and display the bodies as a warning."

The Doctor shivered at that last part.

"Right, we've got to go now, but I'll send someone back to help you." Shepard told the batarian.

"Goodbye, human. Thank you."

The four proceeded, but the Doctor started coughing, worse than a cigarette smoker. "Oh, that's not good."

"Doctor?"

The Doctor proceeded to scan himself with the sonic screwdriver. "Yep, I've definitely got it." He said, looking at the readout. "Highly degenerative respiratory disease-that's what the plague is. I don't have lungs like humans and the other species, so it'll take a little while longer to effect me."

"You're one crazy nut, you know that?" Zaeed said.

Shepard just ignored him. "How long?"

The Doctor took a moment to answer. "A few hours. Probably. But no more than two. Or one. Maybe half. I think I'll stop talking now."

"If we get to Mordin's, can you cure it?" Shepard asked.

"If he has the supplies, yes." The Doctor coughed again. "Ow."

Shepard nodded her acknowledgment, and led the team forward, the team(excluding the Doctor) killing the Blue Suns they came across along the way. As they got to a large plaza, they noticed a firefight in full swing, between the Vorcha and Blue Suns.

Deciding to let half of the problem take care of itself, she watched as the Blue Suns ruthlessly gunned down the Vorcha and their Varren.

During the wait, Shepard was suddenly hit with a coughing fit, clutching at her chest as she struggled to breathe.

After the vicious aliens were killed, the team popped out of cover, and mowed down the remaining Blue Suns.

"Doctor, how you doing?" Shepard asked the Time Lord, coughing herself.

"Feeling fine! *cough* Okay, a bit clammy. *hack* Fine, my respiratory system feels like it's on fire!"

"Don't worry, you two." Zaeed pointed to a sign. "We're here."

"Plague victims coming through!" Shepard yelled to the guards, who opened the door in response. The four entered the clinic, walking to the back area.

"...malanarin." Shepard heard Mordin say to one of the nurses as she approached. "Plenty on hand. Almost as good. Causes cramping in batarians. Supplement with butemerol."

The Doctor coughed, catching Mordin's attention. The Salarian dropped what he was doing and approached the Time Lord.

"Hmm, curious." Mordin scanned the Doctor with his omni-tool. "External appearance identical to human, internal physiology however... Hmm, doesn't seem to possess lungs in traditional sense. Tubes, arranged like lungs. Will take a moment to formulate treatment."

"Mordin Solus?" Shepard asked the salarian, who was at work getting something whipped up to help the Doctor. "I'm Commander Shepard. I'm on a mission, and I need your help."

"Mission? What mission? No. Too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading too fast. Who sent you?" Mordin asked, not looking up from his computer.

"Uh, I'm not quite sure how to lay it on you." Shepard coughed, scratching the back of her neck. "Ever hear of an organization named Cerberus?"

That however, did make Mordin look up. "Crossed paths on occasion. Thought they only worked with humans. Why request salarian aid?"

"A race called the Collectors are kidnapping humans from all over the galaxy. We're going to find out why and stop them."

"Collectors?" Mordin scratched his chin. "Interesting. Plague engineered. Collectors one of few groups with technology able to design it. Our goals may be similar. But must stop plague first. Already have cure. Must distribute it at environmental control center. Vorcha guarding it. Need to kill them."

"Great." The Doctor coughed. "More shooting."

"I'll get there and take care of it." Shepard said to Mordin. She then turned to the Doctor. "Doc, I think you're going to have to stay behind."

“What about you?” He asked.

“I have a gun to defend myself with, even if I have a coughing fit. We’ll get the cure distributed, and be back here before you know it.”

Overhead, a loud loss of power was heard, and red lights immediately activated.

"What in the hell?" Zaeed asked no one in particular, looking up.

"Vorcha have shut down environmental systems. Trying to kill everyone. Need to get power back on before district suffocates. Here, take plague cure. Also, bonus in good faith. Weapon from dead Blue Suns mercs. May come in handy against Vorcha. One more thing. Daniel, one of my assistants, Went into Vorcha territory. Looking for victims. Hasn't come back."

"We'll find him, Professor."

"Thank you. Told him not to go. But he's smart. Bright future. I hope."

Shepard turned to Jacob and Zaeed. "Come on guys." She ordered, as they sprinted out of the clinic.

The Doctor stayed behind, sitting down on a small cot.

"Interesting internal physiology." Mordin told the Time Lord. "Brain structure highly advanced. Binary vascular system also advanced. Triple-helix DNA… Have only seen similar biology in one other subject. What species do you belong to?"

"I'm a Time Lord." The Doctor said proudly, then coughed.

“ _Time_ Lord? Truly?” Mordin inhaled. “Implications… staggering. Here." Mordin reported, handing a needle over to the Time Lord. "Inject into pulmonary artery equivalent."

The Doctor nodded and did as told. He perked up upon immediately feeling better. "That was fast."

"Cure designed to be fast acting. No use in curing dead patients."

“Right.” The Doctor nodded. “What about Shepard? She’s been infected as well.”

“Cure did not require any significant modification, only a separate dose to be created so other sample would not be wasted. Shepard will be cured when cure is distributed.” Mordin smiled. "So, mission?"

"I don't know much about it myself. All I know is that humans are going missing, the Collectors are the culprits, and we're trying to stop them. The end result beyond that..."

"Cerberus request of my involvement concerning. Usually do not reach out to non-humans."

"Yeah, I kind of noticed that while I was probing the ship's databanks. Although, while I was searching around, I found something... concerning."

"Concerning how?"

"I, uh… It’s probably not a good idea to mention it.” The Doctor evaded.

“Well then, perhaps an exchange?” Mordin suggested. “You’ve assisted me with my problems, I shall assist with yours.”

“Alright…” The Doctor nodded. “I’ve been in this universe before.”


	8. The Vampire Wars

"Curious." Mordin said, thinking on what he had just heard. "Implying you come from another universe."

"That's right." The Doctor nodded. "I've been to a universe like this one before. Much of Earth's history in this one lines up to what I saw firsthand. But I'm not sure it's the same, not yet."

"You have visited alternate universes before?" Mordin’s eyebrows raised inquisitively, betraying the urge he felt to barrage the Doctor with endless questions.

"Yeah." The Doctor said. "I've visited one where England was a fascist dictatorship. Another one where World War II was still being fought in the 1960s. One where the Roman Empire spanned the galaxy. Then there was that time I visited Picard's universe..."

"Picard?" Mordin tilted his head. "From Star Trek?"

"Star Trek!” The Doctor beamed. “You have that over here too! Yeah, I’ve visited that one, hell, I’ve visited one where _I’m_ fictional... That was a fun Comic Con, let me tell you. But the point is, there are all these parallel universes stacked up on top of each other existing at the same time, but never interacting with each other. I got flung into one such universe by accident, a long time ago. We called it 'Pete's World,' long story."

"And you believe you have returned to 'Pete's World.'" Mordin deduced, saying the last two words a bit uncomfortably.

"Yeah, your histories don't line up _exactly_ with what I’ve seen firsthand. Like there's no mention of the Cybermen, or Torchwood, but that can all be written off as one of those government conspiracies humans are so fond of. And there’s the mysterious case of the missing zepplins, and the fact that the last time I checked, Britain here had a President not a prime minister… but those are easily explained away. But if this _is_ Pete's World... Then I'm in a lot of trouble. The last time I came here, the walls of the universe decayed so severely, it could’ve caused both to collapse. But hopefully, the underlying fabric of reality has strengthened up enough to keep that sort of thing from happening again, and I’ll be able to get back to my universe fairly safely."

“Big day for scientific community, multiverse theory proven _true…”_ Mordin looked positively giddy at the implications. "What _is_ your universe like, Doctor?"

"Well, it's sort of like this one. Except there are a ton more aliens back in mine.” Mordin inhaled, a twinkle in his eye. “Like the Daleks, Sontarans, Zygons, and Time Lords, just to name a select few. Earth gets attacked... a lot. There are also a lot of Eldritch Abominations, as you would call them. Never got that, me, just because they make you go insane at the mere sight of them doesn't mean they deserve to be called abominations."

As the Doctor finished his miniature rant, the fans overhead activated, distributing the cure. "Ah, that's probably Shepard."

A few minutes later, a young man entered the room.

"Daniel? Okay, not injured?" Mordin checked over his assistant.

"Just a few minor bruises, Mordin, I'll be fine."

Mordin nodded and walked over to his terminal. "Environmental systems engaged. Airborne viral levels dropping. Patients improving. Vorcha retreating." It was at that moment that Shepard entered the room. "Well done, Shepard. Thank you."

"And thank you from me, as well." Daniel said from the back of the room. "Those batarians would have killed me. For a second there, I thought you were going to shoot them even after they let me go."

"I made a promise. And I _always_ keep my promises." Shepard stated.

"Merciful of you." Mordin noted. "Risky. Would have killed them myself."

"Professor? How could you say that? You're a doctor, you help people!" Daniel shouted.

"Lots of ways to help people." Mordin explained. "Sometimes helping patients. Sometimes executing dangerous people. Either way helps. Go check on the patients." He ordered. "Lots of work to do. Think about what I said." Daniel narrowed his eyes, and left the room. "Good kid. Bit naive. He'll learn. Letting him take over the clinic. Should be able to handle it now that Vorcha are gone."

"We've cured the plague. Are you ready to help with the Collector situation?" Shepard asked.

"Yes." Mordin admitted. "Unexpected to be working with Cerberus. Many surprises. Should finish finish up here. Will not take long. Meet you at your ship. Looking forward to it."

Shepard nodded, leaving Mordin to his business. She then walked over to the Doctor. "How are you holding up?"

"Not bad. Mordin and I talked about a couple things while you were off being a hero. You?"

"Better.” Shepard nodded. “Guess my biology was non-standard human enough to affect me… You feel up to moving?"

"Sure." The Doctor nodded, pushing himself up from his seat.

"Then let's get back to the Normandy, get Doctor Chakwas to check you out. Make sure there's no lingering problems."

The Doctor nodded, and pushed himself up off the cot, ready to go back to the ship.

_****DW**** _

"Doctor, I'm pleased to say that no traces of the plague remain in your system." Doctor Chakwas said, looking over her datapad. "Your respiratory system is the picture of good health. I can't say the same for the rest of you, however."

"Is there a problem?" The Doctor stiffened.

"I genuinely don't know." Chakwas admitted. "I've never seen a species like yours before. Not even a fully mature Krogan has internal physiology as advanced as yours. In fact, the only other person who comes close to you is Shepard."

"Why, thank you." The Time Lord beamed, holding a hand over his heart. Or, one of them.

"Well, Doctor, I suppose you're cleared for duty." Chakwas entered something into the datapad. "Just take it slow, however. We don't know the full extent as to the cure's effects on you."

"Oh, please." The Doctor waved off. "Gallifreyan internal physiology is sturdier than a Nokia." He jumped up. "I'll be fin-" He went to take a step but fell to the floor. "I'm okay! The right leg just went for a little bit of a catnap, is all. I'm ready when you are, Commander." He saluted. Then he promptly put his hand back down, asking: "Why am I saluting?"

Shepard chuckled slightly, shaking her head. “Well, you’re certainly clumsy, but you look no worse for wear.”

“Don’t worry, Shepard.” The Doctor straightened his bow tie. “When I want to be, I can be a fully responsible, capable person.

"Then in that case, I'd like you to work with Mordin on developing the Seeker countermeasure." Shepard directed. "I have a feeling the work will go faster with two scientists rather than one."

The Doctor nodded and proceeded up to the tech lab.

****DW****

"Ah, Doctor!" Mordin greeted as the Time Lord entered the tech lab. “Glad to have you here!

"Hey..." The Doctor responded. "What're you doing?"

"Formulating seeker countermeasure. Challenging work, though access to proper equipment eases process."

"Well, Shepard sent me up here to help.” The Doctor gestured at himself. “It’s your lab, technically, where to you want me to start?”

Mordin shook his head. “Capable of formulating Seeker countermeasure on my own. More interesting subjects for the moment, never finished conversation in clinic.”

“Ah,” The Doctor smiled knowingly, “You want to know where I come from. Well then, in that case, what do you want to know? Physics? Medicine? Society?”

“All would be ideal.” Mordin smiled. “Culture, history, science… Culture teaches how a society thinks. History teaches of the accomplishments and mistakes of that society. Science teaches of that society’s technological prowess. All are important.”

“Well, I’m not an expert… But how about I start you off with some of what I’ve done…”

**_ **DW** _ **

"...It claimed to be the originator of the myths and legends of demons and dark gods in most cultures.” The Doctor explained, telling the tale of the time he encountered the creature that claimed it was the Devil.

“Fascinating.” Mordin stroked his chin. “Many species do share belief in afterlife of some sort… and of a ‘Devil’ figure to punish wicked beings.”

“Oh, yeah?” The Doctor questioned. “Do your people have one?”

“Bringer of Night.” Mordin nodded. “A demon that would plunge the universe into a state of chaos and unreason. Archaic belief, most do not subscribe to it now.”

“Well, that’s the case with most religions now, isn’t it?” The Doctor rhetorically asked, leaning back against the table. “Anyhow, so there I was, facing down a creature that looked to be the Icon of Sin itself… And then, I realized why a planet orbiting around a black hole had a pocket of oxygen so far down. The beings that imprisoned the Beast wanted it alive, in case by dying it somehow escaped. But, they tied the protective field surrounding the planet to two vases down in the chamber… So, I broke them.”

Mordin inhaled, his eyes wide. “Killed a Demon.”

“No.” The Doctor shook his head. “I killed _the_ Demon.”

"No witty one-liners?" Mordin asked.

"No...” The Doctor frowned. “Should there have been?"

"In your place, would have gladly taken the opportunity." Mordin smiled. "'Go to Hell!' Or something along those lines."

“I’ll… keep that in mind for next time I face down a Demon from the dark ages of the universe.” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly. “Now… Alright, now that we’re done talking about a religious nightmare-inducing hellspawn, how about something a bit more scientific. Let's see... It all started when the Time Lord Omega found a star..."

**_ **DW** _ **

Shepard yawned as she walked back up to her cabin, ready to turn in for the night. With two of the dossiers on her list crossed off, and a third tag along brought aboard with no charge, Shepard felt that the day was complete, and ordered herself to get some shut eye. If today’s difficulty was any indication, she and the team would need to be firing on all cylinders to recruit Archangel.

And so, after taking a shower and getting a fresh change of clothes, Shepard fell back in her bed, and drifted to sleep…

_Shepard found herself only alongside two others. The rest of the garrison had fallen, leaving only the three of them to fight off against the encroaching hordes._

_“They’ve broken through our defenses!” Omega shouted to the others on the wall with him._

_“I’ve lost contact with the Capitol!” Shepard reported, but her voice sounded wrong to her own mind. In a moment, she registered why. She was a man. A young man, of about twenty years old… But the face looked like it would if she imagined herself to be a man._

_“Blast…” Rassilon swallowed, seeing the approaching hordes of Great Vampires coming over the hills like a tidal wave. “We are the last outpost on this planet.”_

_“Yes, evidently.” Shepard (and not Shepard) returned. “What of the Child?”_

_“Tecteun’s child is safe.” Omega reported. “The Vault’s interior exists outside of time. She will remain safe, the Vampires will not obtain her gifts… but that is irrelevant unless we can acquire transport off this world.”_

_“Agreed… Gentlemen.” Rassilon turned to Omega and the Other. “I have only known you two for a short time… It has been an honor, and a privilege… But I do not intend to die on this backwards rock! I am going to survive! I am going to go back to Gallifrey, and I am going to see every last Great Vampire destroyed myself! Will you!?”_

_“Hell yes!” The Other replied, grabbing a boltcaster off the barricade._

_“Then lets show these Vampires they picked the wrong group of Gallifreyans to mess with…”_


	9. The Mercenaries

_“Attention, Professor Solus and Mister Massani prepare to depart with Shepard.”_ EDI announced over the loudspeakers, as the Doctor sat down in the cargo bay, reading over a datapad with Shepard’s personnel file.

The Doctor, furrowing his eyebrow in confusion, looked to the small holographic projector on the wall. “Excuse me, EDI?”

In a microsecond, EDI’s hologram appeared. “How can I assist you, Doctor?”

“Where’s Shepard going?” He inquired. “And how come I wasn’t called?”

“Commander Shepard is currently attempting to recruit Archangel.” EDI answered. “She does not usually bring along more than two teammates with her, as in her own words, the battlefield gets too cramped to keep track of everything going on.”

“Ah, I see.” He did, sort of. The TARDIS didn’t get cramped too often, but when it did, it made things complicated. “So, what am I supposed to do while she’s gone?”

“If it is not criminal, it is up to your discretion.” EDI replied.

The Doctor looked at the datapad. So many questions about just this one woman… Time to get some answers. “…I see. Thank you, EDI.”

“I am pleased to assist.”

“Right…” The Doctor looked to the watch on his wrist. “Yeah, I’ve got time.”

With his mind made up, the Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, the TARDIS itself vanishing just a moment later.

“…Curious.” EDI remarked.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard yawned as they walked through the streets of Omega.

“Long night?” Zaeed asked.

“Yeah.” Shepard answered as they came up on Afterlife. “Weird dreams, you know?”

“Yeah, I’ve had my fair share of nightmares.” Zaeed remarked.

“No, not a nightmare, just… weird.” Shepard shook her head. “It’s nothing, let’s get this done.”

Shepard led the team through the loud Afterlife club, to the mercs' recruitment station. The door opened, and she walked inside.

The Batarian recruiter looked up from his terminal. "Well, aren't you sweet?" He sneered. "You're in the wrong place, honey. Strppers' quarters are-"

A bullet hit the wall, only a few inches from his head.

"Show me yours, tough guy." Shepard sneered right back. "I bet mine's bigger."

"So, you're here to fight then?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Standard fee is 500 credits each." The batarian rattled off. "You get paid when the job's done. If you die, your friends don't collect your share. You'll need your own weapons and armor... looks like you've got that covered. And no, this does not make you a member of the Blood Pack, Blue Suns, or Eclipse. You are a freelancer. Period. Any questions?"

"Where do we go?" Shepard cracked her knuckles.

"Just head to the transport station outside the club. One of our boys will take you from there." He said, as he got to looking back down to his terminal. "Send in the next one."

The door opened, and a young man, no more than eighteen, walked in.

"This where I sign up?" He asked.

"Aren't you a little young to be freelancing as a merc? Shepard asked.

"I'm old enough." His voice cracked. "I grew up on Omega. I know how to use a gun."

"Yeah." Zaeed said. "Enough to get yourself killed."

"I can handle myself." The kid continued, getting a pistol out of its holster. "Besides, I just spent fifty credits on this baby, and I wanna use it!"

Shepard's reaction was fast. In a second, she grabbed the kid's arm, and pulled the pistol right out of his hand. "Get a refund." She ordered, throwing the pistol to the ground, and stepping on it, crushing it. Damn, a gun that cheaply made., probably would’ve blown itself up on the first shot. "Trust me, kid. You'll thank me later."

Shepard then led the team out of the club, and to the transport.

**_**DW**_ **

On a cold, wet beach, the TARDIS engines wheezed and groaned as the ship rematerialized. The doors opened, and the Doctor stepped out of the ship, onto the beach itself. He hadn't been here in many centuries, and he hoped that he would never have to again. But nevertheless, here he was.

Dårlig Ulv Stranden, better known as Bad Wolf Bay.

The last time he was here… God, it was centuries ago, from his point of view. It was a day that was forever burned in his memory. The stolen Earth… both his brightest and darkest hour.

As he stood there ruminating, he suddenly felt a rippling in the air around him, and a subtle shift in the timelines.

Quickly, the Doctor ducked back behind the TARDIS, peeking his head around the corner every few moments.

Another TARDIS was materializing across the bay, on the far end of the beach. A tall metallic cylinder, with a flat door etched into one side. The door opened, and stepped out a figure in…

Time Lord robes?

The Doctor’s brow furrowed in thought as the figure walked along.

The Time War wasn’t really a multiversal conflict, as most thought. In fact, the Time Lords strengthened the walls of the universe in the first place to _prevent_ it from being such. It wasn’t out of the question that here, a version of Gallifrey was perfectly fine and intact, but that begged the question…

Why would a Time Lord, or at least, a being with close ties to them, come here?

The figure was carrying in their arms a small cot, made of very old wood, and probably very ancient. The person was concealing their face with some kind of high-level perception filter. The Doctor could make out the facial expressions, but anything beyond that was fuzzy, though he didn't need to see their face to know that what they were doing was breaking their heart. Or hearts.

The Time Lord sat the cot down on the beach and put something (too small to be a baby) inside. The figure hung over the cot for a few moments, looking like they couldn’t quite do what they were about to. The person pulled themselves together, and stepped back into their TARDIS, vanishing into oblivion.

The Doctor, once sure that the coast was clear, got out from behind his own ship, and approached the cot.

Inside the old wooden cot was a baby, no more than a year old. The baby was a little girl, with a tuft of curly blonde hair, and big brown eyes. A biodata module from a Chameleon Arch, shaped like a fob watch, sat next to her, the glowing etchings on it signaling that it had been recently used.

“Oh, hello there, little one…” The Doctor smiled, “I’m the Doctor.” He grabbed onto her tiny hand gently, shaking it. “What’s yours?” He asked, looking at the etchings on the outside of the wooden cot.

“Oh, my God…” The Doctor breathed, staring at the golden circular Gallifreyan carvings on the foot of the cot. “It... no way.” The Doctor let go of the baby’s hand, and ran back to his own TARDIS, dematerializing, but not before he called the local police.

After feeding them a story about hearing the baby's cries, the Doctor closed the door, and flew off. He knew only a few things so far;

Shepard was abandoned by a Time Lord on the beach, a close family member or guardian. If the biodata module was any indication, she’d been modified enough to register as human genetically, with parts of her Gallifreyan biology intact.

But… he was having trouble piecing it all together. He needed help.

And if his suspicions were correct, there was only one person in this universe that could.

**_**DW**_ **

The skycar that the team was in dipped down and landed.

The doors opened, and Shepard, Mordin, and Zaeed all stepped out.

"It's about time they send somebody that looks like they can actually fight." A batarian Blue Sun said, approaching them. "They tell you what we're up against?"

"Not a thing." Was Shepard's answer.

"We wouldn't get many volunteers if they knew the truth." The batarian admitted. "Archangel's holed up in a building at the end of the boulevard over there. He's in a superior position, and the only way in is over a very exposed bridge. It's a killing ground. But he's getting tired. Making mistakes. We'll have him soon enough."

"You guys have a plan?"

"A small team is waiting to infiltrate his hideout, but we need to draw Archangel's fire so they can move in."

"And that's where we come in." Shepard guessed.

"Exactly. You'll be on a distraction team. Head straight over the bridge and keep Archangel busy so the distraction team can move in."

"That's goddamn suicide!" Zaeed shouted in response.

"Pretty much." The batarian shrugged. "But you look like you can handle it. Head up to the boulevard and get to the third barricade. Talk to Sergeant Cathka. He'll tell you when to go in."

"Well I'd better go do that." Shepard said, walking away.

"In's gonna be easy." Zaeed told the Commander. "Out's gonna be a bitch."

"We'll figure something out." Shepard told them, as they walked up the boulevard.

The place was filled with mercs from all the major groups, Eclipse, Blood Pack, with the Blue Suns leading the operation, with freelancers of both high and low skills serving as cannon fodder.

Wasting no time, wanting to get Archangel to safety as quickly as possible, Shepard and the team proceeded to the end of the ‘base’ the mercs had set up, towards a garage.

A gunship sat inside, with a Batarian hunched over one of the engines, working on the gunship as if nothing else in the world mattered.

"Cathka?" Shepard asked, approaching the batarian.

" _Sergeant_ Cathka..." He stressed. "Ah... You must be the group Salkie mentioned. You're just in time."

"Were you waiting for us?" Shepard asked, a bit on the suspicious side.

"The infiltration team is about to send the signal." Cathka dodged. "Archangel won't know what hit him. Got any questions? This'll be your last chance."

"You’re coming with?"

"Ha!" Cathka scoffed. "Tarak doesn't pay me to fight. I just plan the attacks and fix this damn gunship. You freelancers get the privilege of-"

Suddenly, the commlink opened, interrupting him. _"Target's in sight. We're a go."_

"Check." Cathka responded. "Bravo team-go, go, go! Archangel's got quite the surprise waiting for him... But that means no more waiting for me. Gotta get her back to a hundred percent before Tarak decides he needs her again." He said, getting back to repairing the gunship.

Shepard spotted a small arc wielder on a crate beside her. She picked it up, and approached Cathka from behind. "You're working too hard." She said, then plunged it into Cathka's back.

"Aagh!" Cathka scream and spluttered as he fell to the floor.

Shepard just walked away, joining the bigger group of freelancers.

The group jumped over the barricade, and began the assault.

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor wished he could say it was hard to find him… It wasn’t. It was pathetically easy for the Doctor to track the energy signature he was looking for, and then get through the security systems surrounding the place.

The Doctor stashed the screwdriver in his pocket and walked right through the front gate.

Walking up to the front door, the Doctor raised his hand, and knocked. He waited for a moment, as he could hear the people inside rustling around.

The door opened, behind it Jack Harkness, of all people. “Whatever you’re selling, we’re not buying.” Jack stated, before slamming it right back in the Doctor’s face.

“…Eh?” The Doctor questioned to himself, before knocking again.

The door swung open again. “I told you already, get lost!” Jack commanded, before slamming it again.

“Oh, come on…” The Doctor muttered to himself, before banging on the door again.

“Look,” Jack huffed as the door opened once more, “I’m an attractive man, I get it, but-“

“Jack,” The Doctor cut him off, “It’s me!” The Time Lord pointed at his own face.

Jack sighed. “Look, buddy, I don’t know what I told you, or what we did. Hell, I don’t even remember you. So, if you think you’re going to get a free handout from me just because it’s Christmas-“

“Jack,” The Doctor put his hands on the man’s shoulders, “I know he’s in there. Just go in there, and tell him, it’s the Doctor. Just that. The Doctor.”

“We already have a doctor.”

“Not _a_ Doctor _, the_ Doctor.” The Doctor elaborated. “The… original, you might say. Now, are you going to go do that, or am I going to have to waste even more of your time?”

Jack narrowed his eyes, but gave it up as he went back inside, closing the door behind him. A moment later, the Doctor could hear a wine glass shatter, and a slight smile broke out on his face, as he could hear the people inside clamoring.

The door swung open, behind it-

“Oh my God…” Rose Tyler breathed, staring at the Doctor. “It’s you… is it you?”

The Doctor pointed over his shoulder to where the TARDIS was parked and smiled.

“It’s you!” Rose beamed, throwing her arms around the Time Lord.

“It’s me!” The Doctor confirmed, returning it. He released Rose, looking to her side. “And me! Hello, Doctor!”

“Well,” The face of his metacrisis looked back at him, “Actually, I’ve been going by John these days. Needed a proper name for the paperwork… just sort of stuck.”

The Doctor turned to Jack. “And Jack Harkness! Probably not my Jack, but still, it’s good to see you!” He beamed, shaking the other man’s hand.

“I’ll bet…” Jack confusedly replied. “Who is this guy?”

“He’s the Doctor!” Rose answered, like she still couldn’t believe it.

“Wait a minute… _the_ Doctor?” Jack repeated.

“Yup!” John answered.

“He’s back!” Rose bounced. “Come on, we’ve got a lot to talk about!” She excitedly said, pulling him inside.

And though the Doctor was happy… He was terrified. Just what did they have in store for him?


	10. The Archangel

“…So, you found a child abandoned on a beach, and you decided to come to us for help?” John questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, it was more you than anyone else, no offense Rose, but yes.” The Doctor nodded, as they gathered in a sitting room. “I figured two Doctors were better than one…”

“But I don’t understand.” Rose began, “What makes this child so important you need to figure out the mystery behind her?”

“Because, I’m working with her in the future.” The Doctor answered. At the blank looks, he continued, sighing. “Her name is Shepard, or at least, that’s what she’s calling herself. She said there were a group of aliens abducting entire human settlements… I’m helping her to stop it.”

“And so that meant rooting around in her personnel files?” Jack questioned.

“It was just to get to know the people I was working with first…” The Doctor excused. “But then I saw all these things in her file, and… I had to know.”

“So, why come to us?” John questioned.

“Because… You deserve to know…” The Doctor answered, whispering something into John’s ear.

The human/Time Lord’s eyes widened. “So,, that’s who…” He inhaled. “Well, I don’t know how much help we’ll be, but I’ll take the case.”

“Thanks.” The Doctor sighed in relief. “I want you to keep an eye on things here. I have a feeling that someone wouldn’t just choose a random planet to abandon their baby on. Keep an eye out for anyone that screams ‘Time Lord.’ If you find one, give me a holler, and I’ll come running.”

“Ten-four.” John nodded.

Rose tilted her head. “Do you really have to go so soon? It’s Christmas… stay for a little while. Please.”

Well… It was hard for him to say no to that face.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard stormed up the stairs of Archangel's apartment, and entered the room that the Turian sniper was in. "Archangel?" She addressed.

The Turian held up his hand in a 'hold on for just a second' gesture. The sniper aimed down the scope of his gun, and pulled the trigger, killing a freelancer that had poked his head out of cover. The turian sat his gun down, and got up. He took off his helmet, revealing-

" _Garrus Vakarian_!?" Shepard asked, using his full name.

"Shepard." Garrus calmly responded. "I thought you were dead."

Shepard pulled Garrus into a hug. "What're you doing here?" She asked, releasing him.

"Just keeping my skills sharp. A little target practice, so to speak." He snarked.

"You okay?" She asked, noticing his not-entirely comfortable demeanor.

"Been better," He admitted, "but it sure is good to see a friendly face. Killing mercs is hard work. Especially on my own."

"How did you end up all the way out here?"

"I got fed up with all the bureaucratic crap on the Citadel." He explained. "Figured I could do more good on my own. Least it's not hard to find criminals here. All I have to do is point my gun and shoot."

"Is that how you pissed off every major merc gang in the Terminus?" Shepard chuckled.

"It wasn't easy." Garrus responded in a sing-song tone. "I _really_ had to work at it. I am amazed that they teamed up to fight me. Guess they really hate me."

"Well, we're here, but getting out isn't going to be as easy."

"No, it won't." Garrus agreed. "That bridge has saved my life countless times... funneling all those witless idiots into scope. But it works both ways. We're going to get slaughtered if we try to go back that way."

"But just waiting isn't a good option either." Shepard continued. "Any ideas?"

"This place has held them off so far. And with the three of you... I suggest we hold this location, wait for a crack in their defenses, and take our chances. It's not a perfect plan, but it's a plan. You think you can handle it?"

“Garrus,” Shepard patted the Turian on the back, "There’s an old Earth saying… I'm ready to kick ass and chew bubblegum. And I'm all out of bubblegum."

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor awkwardly shifted in his position leaning against the kitchen counter, helping Rose with Christmas dinner. “So… how have things been with you lot?” He questioned.

“Rough.” Rose answered. “But things have straightened out now… mostly.”

“I figured…” The Doctor said quietly. “I noticed a ring on your and Jack’s fingers… but not on John’s. What happened?”

Rose looked down sadly. “He’s… too much like Donna. The Donna part of him, well… doesn’t really agree with me. And I can’t make him change that.” Rose sighed. “We tried to make it work, but… we’re both two different people now. But he’s still my best friend.”

“I’m glad you didn’t abandon him entirely…” The Doctor smiled softly. “He needed you.”

“And part of me needed him.” Rose answered vaguely. “But there’s been a question that’s bugging me ever since that last day… why’d you do it? Leave us both behind?”

The Doctor sighed, looking away from her. “The last me, he- I… I told you once, a long time ago, that Time Lords don’t age, we regenerate. That you could spend the rest of your life with me, but I couldn’t spend the rest of mine with you. But there’s more to it than that… Before all that mess with the Daleks and the Medusa Cascade happened, I met an Ood… He told me my song was ending soon. And he was right. I could feel the universe shifting around me as it got closer and closer. I was going to regenerate soon. And that me… he was terrified he wasn’t going to care about you the same way afterwards.”

“So… you left me a you who would.” Rose finished, tearing up slightly. “And was he- Were you right?”

The Doctor nodded ever so slightly. He let out an awkward sigh, and pushed himself away from the counter. “Right, well, enough about me. How’d you meet this world’s version of Jack Harkness?”

“That’s…” She chuckled, shaking her head. “A story and a half.”

“Well,” The Doctor smiled, sitting down on the stool nearby, “I’ve got all the time in the world.”

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard stormed down the stairs as fast as humanly possible, focused on getting into the basement. Apparently, there were maintenance tunnels that could allow backdoor access into the apartment.

About time the mercs had finally decided to use their brains.

So it was a race to the basement, to close all three shutters before the mercs could ambush Garrus.

She closed the first shutter quite easily, but that still left two shutters.

Entering the hall on the left, Shepard was met with a cramped room, storage containers almost blocking the path to the shutter.

Still, it didn't deter her one bit. Vaulting over each set of containers, she fired her assault rifle at those who dared to get in her way.

One of the bullets hit a Blood Pack Pyro's fuel tank, and ignited it, causing an explosion that set everything on fire within its blast radius.

Fortunately, Shepard and Mordin weren't caught in said radius, and Zaeed was still upstairs, helping Garrus hold off the mercs.

Shepard calmly walked over to the shutter, and hit the button.

Ten seconds later, after keeping away the incoming mercs, the shutters closed and locked.

The two headed back the way they came, and entered the other shutter room, but this one was radically different.

Instead of a small hallway, this one was a large loading bay, with multiple vehicles and crates scattered around.

And it was swarming with mercs.

Shepard ducked into cover, and readied her grenade launcher. She took aim, and fired it at small group clustered together.

Switching back to her assault rifle, she took out the ones scrambling into cover with cold precision.

Next, she had Mordin fire an incineration blast at a canister filled with propane or some such gas.

The gas inside the canister ignited as planned, and the container itself exlpoded, releasing all manner of things.

But most importantly, shrapnel. Which, due to its 'slowness' compared to mass effect based weaponry, ignored kinetic barriers, and sliced into the mercs who were standing in front of it.

Shepard broke cover, and sprinted over to the shutter controls. She slammed her hand on the button, and prepared herself for a fight.

More mercs rounded the corner, varren in tow, trying to get through the shutter. Shepard focused her fire on the incoming varren, the fastest and most likely to make it through before the shutter closed.

Then, she focused on the vorcha, using the Pyros' explosiveness to her advantage.

Finally, with the help of a few incineration blasts from Mordin, the remaining Krogan were taken down, before the shutter finally closed.

 _"Get back here, Shepard."_ Garrus suddenly ordered over the comm. _"They're coming in through the doors."_

Shepard acknowledged, and ran back up the stairs.

"Thanks, Shepard." Garrus addressed the Commander, as she approached, as he looked over a dead Krogan. "They barely got through to me. And we took out Garm and his blood pack. Day just gets better and better. He was one tough son of a bitch."

"You knew him?"

"Yeah, we tangled once. Caught him alone. None of his gang to help him. Still couldn't take him out. I've never seen a krogan regen that fast. He was a freak of nature. He just kept at it until his vorcha showed up. It was close, but I had to let him go." Garrus looked down at the body. "Not this time."

Shepard nodded in understanding. "Well, only the Suns are left. I say we take our chances now."

"I think you're right. Tarak's got the toughest group, but nothing we haven't faced before. Besides, he won't be expecting us to meet him head-"

A whirring noise in the distance began to increase in volume, as the gunship Cathka had been fixing earlier hovered up from below. It fired a shot into the apartment, right where the team was holed up

"Damn it!" Garrus shouted as the group dove to cover. "I thought I took that thing out already!"

"Don't worry about it. A well-placed shot from a grenade launcher should take care of it pretty easily."

"You didn't... Oh, you did."

Shepard smiled, and readied the grenade launcher. She took aim and fired.

The shot impacted against one of the engines and exploded. The gunship shook but remained steady enough to fire a rocket off.

That hit Garrus in the face.

The Turian dropped to the floor, but the gunship remained.

"No!" Shepard shouted in fury. She took aim again, and fired her shot at the cockpit, this time finishing off the gunship. As the wreckage dropped into the depths pf Omega, Shepard ran over to Garrus.

"Garrus!"

The Turian groaned in pain.

Shepard turned to Mordin. "Radio Joker, make sure they're ready for us!"

"He's not gonna make it..." Zaeed stated sadly.

Shepard seriously hoped that wasn't true.


	11. The Rose

The Doctor awkwardly sat down at the table, thrumming his fingers against the mahogany wood, while Jack and John were busy helping Rose finish the food.

He would’ve helped, but… well, he’d been kicked out of the kitchen for good reason.

“Ah, here we are!” John came running in with a ham on a plate, sitting it in the center of the large table. “Ham! Always liked ham! Rhymes with ‘fam.’ Fam. Ham. Fammmm. Hammmm…”

“You’re rambling,” Rose informed, as she and Jack came walking in.

John winced. “Sorry.” He apologized, sitting down with them. “What?” He asked, looking at the Doctor’s grinning face.

“Look at you…” The Doctor laughed. “Doing domestics.”

“Hey, I don’t-“ John held up a finger. The words died his mouth, and he conceded his point. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“What happened to, ‘I don’t do domestics?’”

John rolled his eyes. “Just shut up and eat.”

**_**DW**_ **

The next morning, came Christmas day. Of course, being adults, they could’ve just opened what gifts they had the night before, and have been done with it.

But where was the fun in that?

So, the four of them gathered in the living room, and set about opening them. Well, the three who called the house home did, the Doctor just sat and looked on.

As time passed, they worked their way through the presents, and Rose’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Hold on. Where did these come from?” She asked, pointing to three boxes as she looked to the others.

“Well…” The Doctor straightened his bow tie. “I popped into the TARDIS last night, got some things…”

The others looked confused, and Rose opened hers first, stifling a sob when she realized what hers was.

“The picture we took together on Woman Wept.” The Doctor began, though he knew she knew what it was. “I, uh… I don’t clean out the TARDIS as often as I should, and you never picked it up during that mess with the Daleks, so…” The Doctor trailed off.

“Doctor, I…” Rose teared up. “Thank you.”

“You’re… welcome?” The Doctor replied, unsure of why she was crying. “Right, Harkness yours is over here…”

**_**DW**_ **

“Right, the last gift was a bit too big to fit under the tree, so..." The Doctor guided the group outside, to a large box, dressed up like a Christmas present

John approached the box, and pulled the bow, causing all four sides to fall to the ground, revealing a large metal cylinder with a rectangular doorway carved into the side.

"It can't be..." John said in awe, stepping forward.

"Why, what is it?” Rose inquired.

John ignored her, and pushed the door open, stepping inside.

The Doctor motioned for the others to follow, and they peeked their heads in, prompting a striking realization.

"It's bigger on the inside!" Jack vocalized, as he looked around the white console room.

“Oh my God, it’s a TARDIS!” Rose breathed, running around inside.

"How'd you get it to grow so fast?" John asked, looking around like he was finally home, which he might as well have been.

"Accelerated time in a localized area." The Doctor explained. "She should be fully grown, but the navigational circuit might be a bit... meh. This one's going to be a chip off the old block for sure." The Doctor patted the console fondly.

"Mind you, I'll have to change the desktop..." John commented. "But for now... She's perfect. How about a little maiden voyage? To break her in."

"Ah, but first-" The Doctor ran over to the console scanner and entered a command. He pressed a button, and the white default console room was replaced with the one that John preferred in a flash of light.

"Now we're talking..." John nodded in approval.

"Hold on." Rose held up a hand. "There were three boxes under the three.”

The three men around the console looked at each other in confusion, before the Doctor looked back at Rose inquisitively.

“So…” Rose began, talking to them like they were stupid. “If I got one, Jack got one, and this one is for John… Who does that fourth box belong to?”

“Fourth box?” The Doctor repeated. “There was no… fourth…” His eyes widened, and he ran out of the new TARDIS, back into the house. Sprinting to the living room, the Doctor dove to the underside of the tree, pulling out the box to examine. “What!?”

“What is it?” John huffed, as he and the others struggled to catch up.

“My name… It has my name on it!” The Doctor pointed to the etchings scribbled on the paper.

“No… No, you are kidding me, no way!” John looked closer. “Which one of you put that there?” He questioned. Neither of them got out an answered, before he scoffed, turning back to the Doctor. “Oh, who am I kidding, neither of you know my name.”

“So, what do I do with this?” The Doctor questioned.

“Are you kidding me?” John repeated. “Open it!” He commanded.

The Doctor looked uncertain for a moment, before pulling himself together. “Fine, but if this is a trap, it’s your fault!” He directed, as he began to tear off the wrapping paper. With the wrapping paper fully cleared, the Doctor looked down at the object in awe.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"It's..." The Doctor began, looking down at the tablet-looking device. "It's a matrix access node."

"Matrix?" Jack asked. "Like those movies from a few years back?"

"No. The Gallifreyan matrix. It was the biggest computer and repository of information in the universe. The whole thing was so large that it existed as an entire pocket universe." The Doctor explained. "Back home, the Matrix was destroyed during the Time War, all devices connected to it were fried. Well, save for the TARDIS. But here… I think this proves it.” The Doctor breathed almost reverently. “Gallifrey is still out there, here, somewhere.”

"Hold on, you see that?" John asked, pointing to a bit of Gallifreyan writing in the corner. He took his brainy specs out of his pocket, and put them on, squinting at the writing. "Those look like-"

"Co-ordinates." The Doctor agreed. “Space-time coordinates. But for what?” The Doctor frowned. He deactivated the device, and stuffed it in his pockets. "I should probably go look into this."

“You should.” John recommended. “But before you go, just… be careful out there, okay?”

The Doctor smiled back in response. “When am I ever not?”

**_**DW**_ **

_“She has no living relatives,” Omega explained, carrying the young child that used to be Tecteun’s in his arms, “And none of the Houses are willing to associate with her.”_

_“I can’t believe it.” Rassilon snarled. “We chase that woman across the universe, to bring back the child she unlawfully took and experimented on, only for the child to have to be excommunicated from all levels of society!?”_

_“Calm down, Rassilon.” Shepard put his hands on the other man’s shoulder. “It’s not ideal, yes, but… The Council has good reason to be wary. Who knows what Tecteun could’ve done to that kid? She could’ve put a biodata virus, or-“_

_“We already know what has been done to her!” Rassilon snarled. “And my comrades have paid the price for it! They sacrificed their own lives so that we may bring her back! I will not let what we’ve worked for be for nothing, what would you have me do!?”_

_“Rassilon, relax.” Shepard gently commanded. “Omega, you said no House would take her in?”_

_“That is correct.” Omega confirmed. “If one of them’s her original house… they don’t wish to be associated with a name such as Tecteun’s.”_

_“Right.” Shepard turned back to Rassilon. “So, what I suggest is this: We don’t take her to one of the houses.”_

_Rassilon recoiled. “Excuse me?”_

_“It’s like Omega said!” Shepard began vehemently. “We can’t force one of the Houses to take her in. So what I propose, is that one of us,” He gestured around, “Take her in. Or rather… I do.”_

_“You, raise a child?” Omega incredulously repeated. “I dread to think!”_

_“Insult me all you want, but you,” Shepard pointed to Omega, “Are far too busy a person already to add a child into the mix. You,” He pointed to Rassilon, “Have far more enemies than you do friends. She won’t be safe. But I’ve been looking to get out of the military anyway, and I can keep my head down. Besides, if Tecteun’s notes were true… A child like her would have to be kept hidden. Safe. I’m the only one who can do that right now.”_

_“Yes… yes. You are right.” Omega nodded, passing the child off to Shepard. “Where will you go?”_

_“My family has more land than they can keep an eye on.” Shepard answered. “There’s a little barn, out of the way, where no one will notice. I’ll take here there…” Shepard smiled down at the baby. “I always did want to be a father.”_

_“You look nothing like her.” Rassilon snorted._

_“…Maybe grandfather.” Shepard amended. “Yeah, that works…”_

_Rassilon nodded, as he looked down on the Child in Shepard’s hands. “… Arkyitor will be in good hands.”_

_“Excuse me?” Shepard asked. He sighed when he realized what Rassilon meant. “You named the baby already? Without asking me?”_

_“I like it.” Omega crossed his arms. “It is… noble.”_

_Shepard sighed, shaking his head in frustration. “Fine,” He pointed, “But if she gets made fun of in school because of her name, I’m kicking your ass.”_

Shepard’s eyes snapped open, and she looked around in confusion, trying to gauge her surroundings. It took her a moment, before she finally recognized that she was in her cabin on the Normandy, but that did leave her with one other obvious question.

What the hell was going on?


	12. By Any Other Name

The Doctor shut the door behind him, and moved over to the console. Plugging in the data node, the Doctor waited as the device synchronized to the TARDIS’s systems

A moment later, the screen displayed the destination created by the co-ordinates, both spatial and temporal.

The Doctor recoiled, nearly dropping the device when he read the destination.

Gallifrey, pre-Rassilon Era.

The Time Lords, as their name suggested, had an almost godlike mastery of temporal physics. They could create time locks and loops, they could move an entire star system several thousand light-years all at once, and they could create pocket universes at will. It was the discovery of this technology that ushered in the Rassilon Era, a period of absolute power for the Time Lords.

But before that Era… It was a time of chaos. Of the Yssgaroth, the Racnoss, the Jagaroth, and a whole slew of dark, powerful races that sought to destroy Gallifrey, and dominate the universe. Not to mention the state of affairs on Gallifrey. It’d be extremely dangerous for the Doctor to visit…

But these coordinates were genuine, and someone had wanted him to go there. So, the Doctor swallowed his unease, and set the TARDIS off into the Time Vortex.

The TARDIS rematerialized in an alleyway, near the outskirts of an ancient Gallifreyan city. The Doctor peeked his head out the door, and though he didn't show it, he was nearly moved to tears. The orange sky loomed overhead like it was caught in a perpetual sunset, and the smell of the air made the Doctor feel at home. Stepping out of the TARDIS, the Doctor looked around, curiously. He was brought here for a reason.

Judging by the architecture, which seemed to be caught in between feudal town and megalopolis, as well as the relative lack of children, the Doctor guessed that he arrived after the last Pythia had subjected the Time Lords to her "Curse." The "Curse" was a sterility plague, similar to the Krogan Geophage. However, differently to the genophage, which made birth rates drop, but not render the entire species sterile, the Curse caused all Gallifreyans in their first incarnations to be completely sterile. This led to the invention of the Looms, which took a sample from a Time Lord, and randomized and accelerated the growth of a sample to maturity. Then again, most Gallifreyans that had regenerated chose natural births, over the Looms, which could backfire in all manner of ways.

Why the co-ordinates led him here, though, he had no idea. He had been here before, at least on his universe's Gallifrey, so why was he led here?

He decided to look around some more. The co-ordinates led him here for a reason, and he was going to find out.

"Grandfather?" A young voice called out. The Doctor turned around, to see a young woman approach him.

The Doctor inhaled sharply. So, that’s why he was here… A long, long time ago, before he regenerated for the very first time, the Doctor, one night before he decided to steal his TARDIS and go running from Gallifrey, snuck into a different TARDIS, and took it back to pre-Rassilon Era Gallifrey as well.

There, he met his granddaughter… Arkyitor, or as she would later rename herself, Susan. He’d brought her back with him, and the day after that… They stole the TARDIS and ran away from Gallifrey.

Arkyitor approached the Doctor slowly, unsure. For a moment, she narrowed her eyes, as she seemed to look through his face, to peer into his very soul. “It’s you…” She breathed, throwing her arms around him as she began to tear up. “I thought… I thought you’d never come back…”

Of course, the meeting they had back when the Doctor was in his first incarnation went very different, as Arkyitor insisted the Doctor was her grandfather, while the Doctor insisted he wasn’t.

But this time around… The Doctor had lost his own planet, his own family, his own friends… One could forgive him for being a little selfish.

"Arkyitor, I made you a promise." The words came naturally to the Doctor, as he hugged onto her like he was afraid she’d vanish at any second. "And you know me. I always keep my promises."

"But Rassilon-"

"But Rassilon what? Rassilon isn't going to do a thing." The Doctor assured. "He’s just a bully… He may be physically strong, but so much weaker than he makes himself out to be." He broke the hug, and smiled. "He won't lay a finger on any of you."

"I'm still scared for the others, grandfather." She admitted, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

"Well, we all are a little bit, aren't we? Scared for each other." The Doctor said, though this didn't seem to help. "I'll tell you what, I'll leave. Rassilon will think I'm dead, so he'll stop threatening the others, and you'll be the only one to know."

"But where will you go?"

"I don't know. Just away from Gallifrey."

"Then… I'm coming with you."

"Arky-"

"I’ve lost you once…” She cut him off, swallowing. “Not again. Besides... What he's doing... It's pure evil, I can sense it."

"Right... If you're coming along, you have to be absolutely sure.” The Doctor poked her gently in the sternum to get his point across. “After we leave… we can never come back."

"I'm positive." She resolutely nodded. “We stick together… no matter what.”

"Then let's go." The Doctor grasped onto her hand as he led her to the TARDIS, and opened the door.

"It's a Time And Relative Dimension In Space…” She breathed, looking at the size of the interior. “They finished the work on it?" She asked, peering inside. “Where did you get this one?”

"I borrowed it." The Doctor 'explained.' Out of nowhere, the sound of marching boots were heard closing in. "And that's our cue." He said, shutting the doors. "Help me set the controls."

"I don't know how to fly a Time And-!"

"Might want to look into shortening that into an acronym!” The Doctor recommended. “And, there's no better time to learn." The Doctor retorted. He directed her to flick a couple of switches, and as she hit the last one, the TARDIS shook as it entered the vortex. "See? Easy as pi."

"Where are we going?" She asked, with the excitement of a small child.

"Oh, not just where, you see. When." The Doctor said, throwing a lever. "We're going to a starship, called the Normandy, in 2186. They haven't made contact with the Time Lords yet, though, so you'll need to pose as a human."

"I can do that. I might need to change my name though…”

The Doctor smiled. "I have just the reccomendation."

And then realized why he was led to that particular point in history.

**_**DW**_ **

"Commander, the Doctor's box has reappeared in the cargo bay." EDI reported.

"I'm on my way down." Shepard said, stepping into the elevator. She hit the button to go down to the cargo bay, and stepped out, marching over to the TARDIS. She threw the doors open, and stormed over to the Doctor. "Where the hell have you been?" She demanded of the Doctor.

"I've been on a sort of... personal mission." The Doctor semi-dodged. "Susan, there's someone I want you to meet!" He called into the corridor.

"And you couldn't have told anyone about this little mission of yours?"

"Not really, no. It would've made more questions than answers. In my defense, I had expected to return only a few seconds after I had left. But the TARDIS can be a bit fidgety at times."

"Who's this?" Shepard asked, as Susan entered the console room.

"Ah, right. Commander Shepard meet Susan Foreman. My granddaughter."

"Hello, Shepard." Susan greeted, waving a bit shyly.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. "You didn't tell me you were bringing family aboard."

"Well, to be honest, I had a bit of a whim." The Doctor admitted. "Went back to do some investigating, got a bit sidetracked. Ran into Susan, decided to bring her back with me. Thought she could stay on board until the mission's over."

"Uh, she looks a bit young for that. I won’t have children charging into a suicide mission." Shepard said, looking Susan over. The Gallifreyan looked to be about fifteen, way too young to serve on a warship.

"What? I'm two-hundred!" Susan argued.

Shepard's eyebrows climbed higher.

"We age differently than humans after a certain point." The Doctor offered up.

"Okay..." Shepard said, then she turned to Susan. "We'll get you set up with quarters-"

"I can sleep on the TARDIS."

"-and find you something to do. I'm sure Doctor Chakwas would appreciate help down in the med bay. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to prep for the next mission." Shepard turned on her heel, and exited the TARDIS.

"She was nice." Susan commented with a tiny smile. “…Kind of reminds me of you.”

The Doctor clapped his hands together and changed the subject. "Right, how far were you into your studies again?"

"I was just about to make junior Time Lord before you..." Susan swallowed. “Before you jumped into the Loom.”

Good, now the Doctor had a good idea of where Susan was in her studies. She was only a little bit ahead than his Susan when they stole the TARDIS in their universe. "Okay, the TARDIS doesn't exactly have the standard Academy curriculum on hand, but these should do nicely." He opened a panel under the console, and started pulling books out, which he started handing to Susan, rattling off the names as he grabbed them. "Advanced Quantum Dynamics, Recreational Mathematics, Cosmic Science Volume IIIM, Mechanical Engineering, Flutterwings For Dummies, Type 40 Owner's Manual, and Monty Python's Big Red Book. Hey, I've been looking for that!" The Doctor said, as he pulled out a book named Summer Falls. He placed it at the top of the stack Susan was struggling to keep balanced. "It's a really nice book. I've got a whole collection of stories by the author that did it. I've been meaning to go back and meet her one of these days... Oh, I'm getting sidetracked again." He then pointed to the stack of books. "Go and read up on a few of those. After you're done with all of them, I'll get the TARDIS to give you the graduation test. Bit unorthodox, but it should do."

Susan nodded, and walked off to the library.

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor strutted through the Normandy's corridors, and into the tech lab.

"Hello, Doctor." Mordin greeted, looking at the terminal in front of him. "Progress on seeker countermeasure slow, would appreciate possible insight."

"Sure, I've got lots of insight, just call me Mister Insight. Actually no, don't, 'cause that's a rubbish title." The Doctor rambled, moving over to the terminal. He looked down, and noticed something. "What's that?" He asked, pointing to something on the terminal.

"Deep-scan of Seeker biology." Mordin explained. "Seems to be an even blend of technology and biology."

"Well there's your problem. You're looking at purely technological methods that the Seeker would use to stun its victims. Maybe you should be looking at this from a biological perspective."

Mordin nodded, took another sample from the Seeker, and ran it through the computer. A few moments later, Mordin was able to deduce how they worked.

"Seeker paralysis seems to be caused by venom that induces effect similar to biotic stasis field, without need for element zero or dark energy."

"That means it can be counteracted."

"Possibly. Seeker stinger designed to penetrate heavy armor, at the least."

"So increasing the armor density would be pretty much useless."

"Seeker venom also designed to actively fight countermeasures."

"Which means that we would need to counteract the seekers themselves, not their venom."

"Seekers seem to detect targets by seeking out specific vital signs. Could modify armor systems to project non-human life signs. Should make swarms ignore team."

"Unless they start targeting other life-forms." The Doctor reminded the professor.

"Best shot we have at the moment. Will begin preliminary testing. Would appreciate further assistance, Doctor."

The Doctor nodded, and got to work with Mordin.

**_**DW**_ **

"...Okay, everyone, we're here." Shepard announced over the ship's PA. "I know it's not where most of you expected to be, but we've had to take a detour for the moment. While we're here, you should all attempt to get a few hours of shore leave out of it. We'll be heading back out at the end of the day. Dismissed."

"Uh, Shepard," The Doctor flagged down the Commander, "Where is 'here?'"

"The Citadel." Shepard answered. "I got a message from my old CO, Captain Anderson. He wanted to see me, and given that he's the Human Councilor now, I'm not going to dawdle."

"Right." The Doctor nodded. After he got the info he was looking for, he went back down to the cargo bay, and into the TARDIS. "Susan!" He called into the corridors.

"Yes, Grandfather?" Susan responded from right behind him, causing the Time Lord to jump.

"Don't do that!" He shouted, as he snapped his mental barriers into place for some reason.

"Sorry." Susan apologized.

"It's alright. Now, why I came down here in the first place. We're going out." The Doctor said.

"Where?"

"The Citadel! Fine food, art, and-"

"-and lots of aliens!" The Doctor held his arms open.

"I can't believe it!" Susan bounced on her heels. "I can't believe I'm going to meet actual aliens!"

"You've seen Shepard." The Doctor pointed out.

"Yes, but she's not an alien, is she? These people, though!"

All of a sudden, a shrill scream interrupted their conversation.

"What was that?" Susan asked of her grandfather.

"That, was my cue." The Doctor answered, grabbing Susan's hand, and running to the source of the scream.

By the time the two arrived, C-Sec had already closed the scene down.

"Excuse me, Doctor John Smith, and my assistant, Susan." The Doctor said to the officer, holding up the psychic paper. "We're the CSIs. We're going to need access to the scene, and for everyone to clear out." The Doctor said, putting the paper away.

Apparently, it was good enough for the officer, as he allowed them in, and ordered the officers away.

The Doctor and Susan approached the scene. "It was a murder..." The Doctor observed sadly, crouching down over the body of a twenty-three-year-old human woman.

Her eyes were still open, and her face was permanently contorted in an expression of unbearable agony. Her skin was quite literally white as a sheet, and her face was sunken in, almost hollow.

"Whatever did this... it wasn't gentle about it." The Doctor noted. “I’m so sorry…” He murmured, closing the woman’s eyes. The Doctor’s jaw tightened, and the look on his face grew determined. "Right," He began, standing up. "I know what did this."

"What did it?"

"A Vampire."


	13. Blood Ties

“A Vampire?” Susan repeated in fear, stepping back from the body as though it were contagious. “We… We need to alert Gallifrey! Mobilize the military! Quarantine this station!”

“Shh!” The Doctor put his hand over her mouth to stop her before she could say anything else. “People are starting to stare…” He whispered to her, gesturing his head at their surroundings. Indeed, the ongoing aliens began to look at the Doctor and Susan like they were crazy, before being spotted, and going about their days.

“But, Grandfather, you fought in the War.” Susan whispered, as the Doctor removed his hand. “You know how dangerous they are!”

“I do.” The Doctor conceded. “But this isn’t one of those Vampires, otherwise… everyone on this station would be infected already. See, the Vampires we Gallifreyans fought back during the Vampire Wars were living areas of anti-structure. Essentially, laws of physics that directly opposed our own, manifesting in humanoid form." The Doctor explained. "Everywhere they went, everything they touched, was modified to fit their laws of reason, which manifested in their ‘taint. When we pushed them back, we essentially repaired the damage, but as a side effect… The ones infected couldn’t be turned back completely, which gave birth to the Plasmavores.”

“A what?” Susan questioned.

“They feed off blood.” The Doctor explained, looking back down at the body. “A punishment imposed on them by Rassilon. Their greatest gift was twisted into their greatest curse.”

"…Uncle did have an ironic sense of humor.” Susan thought, looking down at the body as well. “And this poor woman was caught in the crossfire… Will the Plasmavore… go after someone else?”

"Let's find out." The Doctor said, scanning the body with his screwdriver. "It drained her absolutely dry, there's not a single drop left…” The Doctor grimaced, looking over the scans. "But, assuming we're dealing with an adult, then taking into account a Plasmavore's average diet... Its next feeding should be in about a day."

"A day?" Susan repeated.

"Plasmavores tend to assimilate the blood they consume to blend in with the species around them, but it causes them to burn through the energy gained from that blood quickly, and the net gain from consuming blood that’s been separated from the body is low. If it wanted to effectively blend in, then its going to have to go after a live human next. We have to track it down."

"But a station this size…” Susan gestured around. “It could take us days to search it all, even if we’re only doing the human populace.”

“Weeks.” The Doctor corrected her. “And there’s no guarantee it won’t just turn tail and run.” The Doctor sighed.

“So… What do we do?” Susan questioned.

“We do what I always do in situations like these.” The Doctor answered, grinning. “Go sticking our nose where it doesn’t belong. I think we passed through a C-Sec checkpoint on our way here. I have an idea." The Doctor guided Susan through the sprawling halls and corridors of the station, back to the Normandy's docking area.

Along the way, they passed by a variety of shops and stores, and the Doctor resolved to get Susan something from one of them to commemorate her first trip. But first, they had something to do, the Doctor reminded himself, as they came up towards the C-Sec checkpoint.

"Oh, it's you two again." Captain Bailey greeted, leaning against his desk. "Is this important, or..."

"Very. I need access to your systems."

"Really?” Bailey questioned. “I may trust Shepard, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let her crew go rooting around in secure access.”

"Well, I've-" The Doctor took out the psychic paper, and handed it to Bailey. "-got direct orders from Councilor Anderson."

Bailey's eyebrows raised. "Hmm… I didn't know they still handed these out. But, it checks out. You have your access." He handed the Doctor the paper back, and pointed to a terminal across from him. "That one should be free." He said, getting back to work.

"You keep showing people that like it's your ID." Susan noted once they were out of earshot. "Why?"

"The paper's slightly psychic, so it shows people what I want them to see. I told him that I was acting on orders from the Councilor, so his brain filled in the rest of the blanks for him. Here we are!" The Doctor said, as the case files were brought up. “Now, let’s see… autopsy and coroners reports…” He did a search, and found all of the cases that were linked to the Plasmavore (though C-Sec didn't know it) "Let's see, all of the victims are female. They were all in perfect health. All are twenty-one to twenty-five, diplomats and politicians, and they all were found dead on Zakera Ward. But it's still not enough."

"Hold on, look at that."

"What is it?"

"They were all pregnant."

"...You're right. All twenty-three, they were in the last trimester. But why would the Plasmavore only feed off pregnant women?"

"Maybe there's something in the babies' blood that it requires?"

"You know, this might be enough to find he next victim." The Doctor started tapping keys at rapid-fire pacing. "Let me just write up a handy-dandy algorithm… Females twenty-one to twenty-five, in the third trimester, on Zakera Ward, and in perfect health... Got it. There's the most likely one to be the next victim. Angela Morros, age twenty-three, and she's on diplomatic business from Earth, and she's in the third trimester."

"She's the next one?"

"Most likely. Though if the Plasmavore were to take her out, she'd have to start expanding her horizons, and then we'd be back to square one."

"She?"

"Plasmavores can make an approximation of the physiology of the target species from the blood they assimilate, but it's just that: an approximation. A female Plasmavore couldn't pose accurately as a male, and vice-versa. The victims were all exclusively female, so we're looking for a female Plasmavore." The Doctor closed the files on the terminal, and went back over to Bailey. "You need to put a security detail on Angela Morros."

"And why is that?" The Captain responded.

"She's being hunted by a dangerous criminal, and could be attacked at any moment."

"Then consider it done. By the way, I talked with Councilor Anderson, he doesn't seem to remember sending you on this mission." Bailey leaned forward. "Now why is that?"

Okay, he had to come up with something. Fast. "The Councilor's memory has been going...?"

Bailey was not amused.

"Fine, you caught me." The Doctor held up his hands, then producing the paper again. "I'm with a secret branch of Alliance Intelligence, named..."

"Monty Python." Susan cut in.

"Yes, right, that. I'm their top operative, codenamed the Doctor. This is my assistant, the Foreman."

"Given that you lied to me the first time, what makes you think I'll believe you this time?" Bailey asked.

"Because you want these murders stopped as much as I do. And I'm the only lead you have." The Doctor responded.

"I could get Shepard down here to sort this out."

"Let's be honest, you really don't want that kind of attention, do you?" The Doctor asked in response. “Look, these murders have been happening for the past month. The perpetrator seems to always be one step ahead of you, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t find any evidence to point you to the one responsible. I have a lead, Bailey, all I’m asking for you to do is trust me. Not for the rest of your life, not even for the rest of the week… but for right now, just this once, trust me.”

"..." Bailey stayed silent for a moment. He typed a few commands into the terminal, he then looked up. "I've given the go-ahead to the security detail. Go. Stop the bastard responsible for this."

"Then consider it done." The Doctor responded, leading Susan away from the checkpoint. "'Monty Python?'" The Doctor asked, incredulous, the moment they got out of earshot of C-Sec.

"'The Foreman?'" She questioned right back.

"Oh, shut up."

"Grandfather, how are we going to find the Plasmavore?" Susan asked after a moment.

"The Sonic should be able to detect the life-signs of a Plasmavore quite easily. Even if it's posing as a human, there's still a little bit of residual DNA. All we need is a transmitter." The Time Lord elaborated. "We'd need a transmitter as big as a skyscraper to scan the entire station at once."

"What about that?" Susan suggested, pointing to the large structure at the center of the Presidium ring.

"That might do... If my history is correct -and I've been doing some reading in my spare time, believe me- that tower acts like a big transmitter, coordinating the Keepers and the station's critical systems. If we can get up to it...”

"Then we can find the Plasmavore!" Susan finished with a smile. “But… what do we do when we find it?”

“…You leave that to me.” The Doctor finished gravely, before he turned to her with a smile. "There's no time to waste! Come along, Susan!" The Doctor grabbed Susan's arm, and proceeded to the Presidium.

**_**DW**_ **

"This meeting would be much more productive if Udina were here." The asari councilor said.

"My _advisor_ is unavailable. As Councilor, I represent the voice of humanity and the Alliance." Councilor Anderson stressed. "Shepard will be here at any-" The door to Anderson's office, and the person in question walked in. "Oh, Commander!" Anderson greeted. "We were just talking about you."

"Nothing bad, I hope." Shepard smiled, enthusiastically shaking Anderson’s hand. "It's been a long time. The last couple of years been treating you well?"

"There's been some rough spots." He admitted. "But it's good to have you back."

"We've heard many rumors surrounding your unexpected return." The salarian councilor interjected. "Some of them are... unsettling."

"We called this meeting so you could explain your actions, Shepard." The asari councilor explained. "We owe you that much. After all, you did save our lives."

' _Damn right I did.'_ Shepard reflected to herself. Then, she started speaking aloud. "The Collectors are the ones abducting human colonies out in the Terminus. Worse, they may be working for the Reapers."

"The Terminus systems are outside our jurisdiction." The turian councilor tersely responded. "The colonists knew this when they left Council Space."

"You're missing the important part." Anderson rushed to Shepard's aid. "The Reapers _are_ involved."

"Ah yes, 'Reapers.'" The turian councilor air quoted. "The immortal race of sentient starships allegedly waiting in dark space." He scoffed. "We have dismissed that claim."

"Shepard, no one else encountered the VI on Illos that told you the truth about the Reapers." Anderson elaborated. "Only you and your crew ever spoke with Sovereign. I believe you, but without evidence from another source, the others think Saren was behind the attack."

"But it's obvious the technology from Sovereign is too advanced to be geth!" Shepard scrambled quickly, pointing at the Councilors frantically.

"We have not found any evidence to suggest that it _wasn't_ a geth creation." The salarian councilor illuminated.

"The geth are capable of remarkable technological achievements." The asari councilor interjected. "Which is most likely why Saren recruited them."

"This 'Reaper' theory proves just how fragile your mental state is." The turian councilor directed at Shepard. "By Cerberus, and before them, by Saren."

"Okay, but Saren was an organic. There's no way the geth would willingly follow him!"

"Saren was a compelling an charismatic individual." The asari councilor argued. "He was capable of convincing the geth the Reapers were real. Just as he convinced _you."_

"It was part of his plan to attack the Citadel. The Reapers are just a myth." The turian councilor waved off. "One you _insist_ on perpetuating."

The asari councilor was at least a bit more diplomatic. "We believe that you believe it, but that does not make it true."

"I kept Saren from conquering the Citadel." Shepard clenched her fists. "I sacrificed human lives to save this council. And this is what I get?"

"We are in a difficult position, Shepard." The asari councilor said. "You are working for Cerberus, an avowed enemy of the council. Not to mention a Time Lord."

Shepard's blood froze, though she didn't show it. "What does he have to do with this?"

"The Time Lords nearly wiped out galactic civilization as we know it almost eight-hundred years ago." The salarian councilor explained. "We managed to keep it quiet as part of the Rachni Wars, but the Time Lords destroyed nearly three-hundred worlds, and killed countless innocents. The only reason we are still alive today, is that they suddenly retreated for no visible reason. The fact that you ae working with one is… troubling."

"And _why_ do you assume _I'm_ working for _him_?"

"A Time Lord would not stoop so low as to work for what they perceived as 'lesser species.'"

"Okay, first of all, that man is a part of my team." Shepard pointer her finger, getting angry all of a sudden. "Second, and even if he wasn't, he’s a nice person, and so's my granddaughter. Finally, if it wasn’t for our sacrifices, there wouldn’t even be a Citadel Council to begin with!"

The councilors looked confused. "And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?" The asari councilor inquired.

"You think those petty skirmishes were wars? I fought in a bigger war than you will ever know, for the sake of every life form in creation! If it wasn’t for my sacrifices, for the sacrifices of the brave few souls standing next to me, none of you would be standing here." Shepard, after she had stopped talking, realized what she had said. But she didn't say it. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Well, it seems that your mental state is much more fragile than we realized." The asari councilor huffed. "We cannot afford to occupy our time with this any longer. This meeting is adjourned." All three holograms flickered, and died.

"What the hell was that!?" Anderson demanded.

"I don't know, sir." Shepard truthfully stated. To her, it felt like she had been kicked out of the driver's seat, and a far more experienced driver took over for a moment. She knew what she said, but she didn't know what motivated her to, and why. "I feel like I'm going insane… Ever since I met the Doctor, I've been having these... dreams. I don’t know why.” She admitted, shrugging. “But… There was a war, and I was at the very heart of it, and… I can’t remember much else.

"Wait a moment, did you call him the Doctor?" Anderson questioned. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Is that important?"

"The Doctor is... it's hard to put what he is into words. And I'm not just talking about his species."

"You know something about him?"

"It's not much." Anderson admitted. "But then again, so is the intel we have on him as a whole. He's been involved in… well, it’s easier to name something he wasn’t a part of. You know the Cyberman incident?"

"What little I could get with my spectre clearance." Shepard answered. "Why?"

"He was the one that put a stop to it. It's like that all throughout history. He appears at a random place and time, and keeps things going well for the human race. The Titanic disaster? Eyewitness accounts pegged him as carrying children into lifeboats, and helping people still trapped on the lower decks. There's even stone carvings of him recovered not too far from Pompeii. It’s the same story, whenever there’s a big, world-altering event, he’s there. The Doctor is humanity's own guardian angel, and if he's shown up again, then massive amounts of death and destruction are about to follow. As long as that man is here, the galaxy's in danger."

"I fail to see how that's any different than normal."

"You may be right. For all we know, he could be here in response to the incoming Reaper invasion. But for all we know, his mere presence could also be causing it. Time Lords are tricky like that. Just promise me you'll be careful around him."

Just then, wailing sirens from multiple C-Sec skycars brought them out of their conversation. Shepard looked at the lead skycar, a yellow monstrosity, to see her HUD tag it. 'THE DOCTOR' the tag read.

"And that's him, now." Shepard groaned, looking up. "I tell him to do one thing, just one: Don't get into trouble. Is that too much to ask?"

"What in heaven's name is he doing?" Anderson asked, as the skycar dove and did a U-turn, causing the pursuers to be disoriented for a moment.

Shepard closely studied the Doctor's pattern, and then realized something. "He's not trying to shake them, he's trying to distract them. But from what?"

**_**DW**_ **

Susan stalked through the corridors of the Presidum Tower, careful to evade any guards and the like. The Doctor hadn't been too receptive to her volunteering to use the transmitter, but once she reminded him that it was either this or piloting a skycar in a dangerous attempt at a distraction so one of them could get into the tower, he had caved.

Fortunately enough for her, the tower seemed to be empty. So far.

Now, all she needed to do was find a master control terminal of some sort. Calling upon the standard training for sonic devices, Susan scanned around for a computer that linked to all of the tower's systems.

After a few seconds, the screwdriver beeped back, and increased the pitch of its frequency, homing in on the terminal's location. As Susan turned, the screwdriver increased the frequency itself, until it became nothing more than a steady whine.

With the location of the terminal figured out, Susan approached, changing the setting on the device, and pressing the activator.

A large holographic screen appeared at the end of a walkway suspended over a small pit. Susan approached it, and studied it for a moment.

It seemed that the terminal could be used to access a great deal of the Citadel's systems, those most of those functions were locked out. Fortunately, the function controlling the Presidium Tower's transmission capabilities were unlocked.

Susan pointed the screwdriver at the terminal, and pressed the activator again. This time, the frequency being transmitted by the sonic was far too high to be heard by any organic, though it still reverberated throughout the station. A moment later, the search results were in.

And apparently so was security, as Susan heard the sound of opening doors. Susan deactivated the terminal, and hightailed it out of there.

**_**DW**_ **

"Oi, that last one could've hurt someone!" The Doctor shouted out the window, as the shot from a C-Sec shuttle missed the car, and hit the Presidium grounds below. As he looked down at the car's control panel, he noticed an incoming call, and pressed the button to accept it.

 _"What the hell are you doing!?"_ Demanded the furious voice of Shepard.

"I'm trying to make a distraction, what else does it look like?"

_"I guessed that, but why!?"_

"Susan and I are looking for a dangerous criminal, long story. She needed to get into the Presidium tower to scan for it, so I needed to make the distraction." *Boom!* "Oh, and not to worry you or anything, but I think I've just been shot down." The car started smoking and veering wildly out of control.

 _"Dammit."_ Shepard cursed. Then, she seemed to focus her attention to someone else. _"Anderson, tell C-Sec that he's good."_

 _"I can."_ Anderson responded. _"But it's entirely up to them whether they want to listen or not."_

"You two better hurry up. Because I think I've just crashed." He said, as the car finally hit the ground, and slid for another few meters before it came to a stop in front of the Relay Monument. "Another happy landing." He said to himself, as he opened the doors, and stepped out.

Into a waiting squad of C-Sec, apparently.

"Hands in the air!" A turian officer barked at the Doctor, as he and the other officers leveled their guns at the Time Lord. "Now!"

"Come on," The Doctor said, putting his hands up. "Is there any real need for the shouting? And the guns?"

"All of you, stand down!" Anderson shouted to the officers, as he and Shepard ran up to them. "Doctor Smith's with us."

"That may be, Councilor, but he broke at least thirty laws pulling that stunt!" The turian responded.

"I said, stand down!" Anderson ordered.

The turian officer sighed, and gave the order to stand down.

"Now, here's what's going to happen next:" Anderson started. "You and your men are going to turn around, leave, and never mention this to _anyone_. Not even in a report. Doing so is tantamount to treason."

"Yes, _sir."_ The turian officer gritted his teeth, and he and his men retreated.

"Come on, let's go back to my office." Anderson said, as he led the other two back.

One they were in, and the door was shut, Shepard turned to the Doctor, and blew up. "What the hell was that!?"

"I told you, me and Susan were looking for a dangerous criminal." The Doctor responded, a bit put off.

"And you couldn't have told me this at all!?"

"Well, considering the criminal we're looking for is in essence a vampire, no." Then, the door opened, and someone walked in. "Ah, Susan! You've got the scans?"

"Every last centimeter of the station was scanned, Grandfather." Susan answered, handing the screwdriver back.

"Hold on, how'd she get in?" Anderson asked.

"It's a Time Lord trick."

"Oh, really?" Shepard rhetorically asked. "What kind of-"

"Shh..." The Doctor quietly said, making the 'shh' gesture.

Shepard abruptly stopped talking in her tracks, suddenly finding that she forgot how to talk. A moment later, she returned to normal. "What the... Can you teach me how to do that?"

"Probably not." The Doctor said, intensely looking at the sonic screwdriver. "That's not good... The security detail!"

"Wait, what about them?" Susan questioned.

"They're in danger!"

"Well, given that they're a security detail-"

"No, not that kind of danger, Susan. Angela's the Plasmavore!"

**_**DW**_ **

"Hold on, there's a vampire disguised as a human diplomat loose on the station?" Shepard asked, not believing. She, The Doctor, and Susan were running through the station to try and find the person they were looking for.

"Not just a Plasmavore." The Doctor reminded. "A _pregnant_ Plasmavore. That's why it was only drinking the blood from pregnant people, Susan. Plasmavore children can't form naturally without assistance… Another of Rassilon’s punishments put on them. The Plasmavore needed the developmental hormones carried in the babies' blood."

"But why only target the politicians and diplomats?" Susan wondered.

"She was probably taking out the competition while she had a chance. Two birds with one stone." Shepard said. "Here's her office." She said as they approached. The door opened, and the three walked into a small room, with the various things you'd expect a politician to have, and then four dead C-Sec officers, lying on the floor in a heap.

"We're too late..." The Doctor observed. "It's all my fault. I told them to guard her, and they got killed because of it..."

"How long have they been dead?" Shepard questioned.

"The last one to have had this done to him has been dead for no more than... three minutes. We can still catch her!" The Doctor shouted, getting the screwdriver. He acivated it, and held it close to his eyes. "She's heading towards C-Sec! Come on!"

The three left the office, and ran back through Zakera Ward to the C-Sec station.

"Where is she?" The Doctor asked Bailey.

"She turned herself in." The Captain responded. "She's over in interrogation room two, if you want to talk to her."

The Doctor, Susan, and Shepard were all confused.

“She turned herself in?” The Doctor questioned. “Just like that.”

Bailey nodded. “Woman came in looking like she was about to have a breakdown. Admitted to all of it.”

Wasn't she trying to kill them? Deciding they could get answers from the source, Shepard led the team into the room.

Inside, was a small woman. About twenty-three, curled up into the fetal position on the floor, and rocking back and forth, murmuring: "I didn't want to... I didn't want to..."

"Hey." Shepard said, leaning down. "Are you alright?"

"Please, I didn't want to..." The Plasmavore sobbed.

"Oh, of course." The Doctor seemed to realize something. "It all makes sense. That baby, I'm guessing you don't know the father?"

"Doctor, you can't just ask something like that!" Shepard responded.

But the Plasmavore just silently nodded.

"And your family disowned you because of it?"

The Plasmavore nodded again.

"So she's twenty-three and got into a one-night stand, and got the short end of the stick for it." Shepard realized.

"No." The Doctor shot that idea down. "Plasmavore society is a bit different than humanity's. The closest analogue to what happened to her in human culture would be a sixteen year-old, still in school and doing teen things, getting pregnant with no idea who the father was, getting disowned because of it, and then running away to save her the embarrassment of having to look at the people she knew. That's why she needed the blood from the other pregnant women. The closest star system that can offer a Plasmavore proper prenatal care is on the far side of the Andromeda galaxy. This isn't a ruthless criminal causing misery for the hell of it, this is a mother doing whatever it takes to keep her baby alive." The Doctor approached the Plasmavore. "Hey, listen. It's going to be alright. I know you didn't want to do what you did, and I'm going to help."

"But, why?" The Plasmavore asked.

"...Because I know why you did it. And I can sympathize. I'm going to help you get what you need, I promise." The Doctor said, standing back up straight. "Come on." He said to Susan and Shepard. The three left, and once the door closed behind them, the Doctor pulled a cellphone out of his pocket.

"Who are you calling?" Shepard asked, recalling the function of the device.

"The proper authorities." The Doctor answered, typing away on the device. “Quarantined? Why would they quarantine a whole galaxy?” The Doctor frowned, looking at the response, as he began to type again. “And I’m not calling, I’m texting.

"Texting who?" Shepard inquired.

"The Shadow Proclamation." He answered. "Sort of a posh way to say 'outer space police.' They hold jurisdiction over a hundred galaxies, including this one. And they've dealt with this sort of thing before."

"What about the Plasmavore?" Susan wondered.

"They're coming to take her back to her homeworld, located in the Isop Galaxy. She'll be confined to it for the rest of her life, but it could be worse."

"Hold on, you're letting a proven murderer get away scot-free?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"She was a mother, doing what it took to keep her baby alive." The Doctor said. "Wouldn't you do the same?"

"Let her go, or do what it took to save my child?"

"Yes." The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Right, I don't know about you lot, but after doing all that, I feel kind of hungry. Care to join me?"

"I'm in." Shepard shrugged. "As long as it's not blood."


	14. The Convict

_“Grandfather, I can’t do it!” A tiny voice across the room from Shepard groaned._

_“Of course you can.” Shepard replied kindly, as he walked over to his granddaughter. She’d grown a lot since being the little baby experimented on by Tecteun. He wasn’t going to lie, part of him was worried she wouldn’t live past five years, due to the horrible things the sick excuse for a scientist subjected her to, but… here she was._

_“But I’ve been looking at it for so long.” Arkyitor, now eight years old, looked down sadly. “I still don’t understand.”_

_“Well,” Shepard bent down to look at her kindly. “You know what always helps me with a problem that’s too difficult to solve? I take a step back, break it up into pieces. Think of it like an engine. You have all these different parts working together, you can’t take a look at the whole thing and expect to fix it right away, you have to look at each segment.”_

_“Segment…” Arkyitor repeated with a slow nod, as she looked back down at the sheet of paper. “I wish you could help me.”_

_“I wish I could too, my child.” Shepard smiled sadly, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. “But it has to be all your doing. And remember, whether you pass or fail… You’ll still be my granddaughter, and I will love you no matter what.”_

_That alone seemed to be the push she needed, as she went back to the worksheet at hand, and Shepard sat back down in his chair._

_The Academy entrance exam wasn’t meant to be this difficult, even for a child her age… Shepard didn’t know if it was his fault for not picking up on the signs, and making changes to her education to compensate, or if it was Tecteun’s fault, but… It was obvious she was developmentally challenged, in some way._

_That didn’t matter to Shepard, he loved his granddaughter regardless. But the kids at the Academy could be cruel. A fact he knew first-hand._

_And as he drifted off to sleep in his chair, he hoped Arkyitor wouldn’t have to find it out either._

Shepard’s eyes slowly opened, as she blinked away sleep, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom on the Normandy, and she frowned.

Another dream.

Shepard glanced to her clock beside her bed, lost momentarily. Why was she experiencing these dreams? They didn’t start, not until…

The Doctor.

He had something to do with this, somehow.

She was going to get answers.

…After they dealt with the current mission at hand.

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor shuddered as he and the others left the Normandy and boarded the prison ship, Purgatory, where their next recruit was located. Though their similarities may have been distant, at best, the Doctor couldn't help think of Shada, the legendary Time Lord prison where only the worst of the worst were sent.

Still, he followed the the others deeper into the prison.

"Welcome to the Purgatory, Shepard." The guard greeted as they approached. "Your package is being prepped, and you can claim it shortly. As this is a high-security vessel, you will need to relinquish your weapons before we proceed."

Shepard narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "I'll relinquish one bullet." She threatened, drawing her pistol. "Where do you want it?"

"Everyone, stand down!" A turian shouted, entering the room. "Shepard, I'm Warden Kuril, and this is my ship." He introduced himself as he approached the waiting group. "You must realize that this is a standard procedure. Your weapons will be returned to you on your way out."

"Yeah?" Shepard sarcastically asked. "It's my standard procedure to keep my gun."

The warden's stare was piercing, but Shepard didn't waver. The others readied their weapons, and the Doctor's grip on the sonic screwdriver tightened. He put it on a new setting, ready to make the guns short out in their wielders' hands.

Fortunately, it didn't come to that, as the warden backed down. "Let them proceed." The warden ordered his subordinates. "Our facility is more than prepared to handle three armed guests."

Shepard, Miranda, and Zaeed holstered their weapons, and the four followed the warden through the large blast door, deeper into the ship.

"Cellblock two." The warden identified. "As you can see, we keep a tight hold on the population."

Through one of the windows the corridor was lined with, the Doctor could see a pylon powered by element zero activate, creating energy bubbles around fighting prisoners, separating them.

Then, a massive crane arm swung down from the ceiling, and attached to a small cubic container, pulling it out of a wall made out of similar containers. The arm then swung around to attach it to a door, further down the hallway.

"Each cell is a self-contained modular unit." The warden elaborated. "I've blown a few out of the airlock as an example before. This ship is made up of thirty cellblocks identical to this one. And each cellblock holds thousands of criminals." He boasted. "We can put the whole place on lockdown at a moment's notice."

"I've seen better." The Doctor shrugged. It was true, some of the prisons (especially the ones designed to hold Time Lords) back in his universe would make this place look like an open door.

"I'm sure." The warden condescended.

"It's got to be expensive as hell to run a place like this." Shepard observed.

"We can cut corners that governments can't." The warden elaborated. "And each prisoner brings in a fee from their homeworld. These people are violent, and their homeworld pays well to keep them here."

"And what happens if their homeworld doesn't pay the fee?" Shepard crossed her arms.

"Then we inform them that we can no longer afford to keep the prisoner and have to release them." The warden answered. "At an unspecified place and time."

"So it's an extortion racket." The Doctor spat, disgusted. "Despicable."

"You don't have to agree with my methods, but _don't_ mistake my intentions. These are despicable people, and I'm keeping them locked up."

"How'd you end up running a place like this?" Shepard questioned.

"I was in law-enforcement back on Palaven. I got sick of seeing criminals escape into the larger galaxy, and bounty hunters aren't dependable. Eventually, I got an idea: Keep the criminals in space, and the galaxy is a safer place."

"So you do all this because you think it's necessary?" Shepard asked.

The warden nodded. "Every day I see the _worst sapient life_ the galaxy has to offer. Governments are soft, unwilling to make the hard choices. Someone had to stand up and make the galaxy safe."

"And because Jack's here, I assume he's on that list." Shepard shook her head in frustration. "What can you tell me about him?"

"Cerberus hasn't told you?" The warden asked, twiddling his thumbs. "Jack is the meanest handful of violence and hate I've ever encountered. Dangerous, crazy, and very powerful." The Warden said in fear. "You'll see soon enough."

"Alright, let's get on with this." Shepard said, uncrossing her arms.

"Bet it'd be hell trying to escape from this place." Zaeed remarked.

"We're in space." The warden said, leading the four forwards. "They have nowhere to go, and they know it. But still, we exercise extreme caution. These are... dangerous individuals." A door slid open, and the warden led the group into an almost identical hallway. "I'm going to confirm the funds from Cerberus cleared. Outprocessing is straight down this hallway." He guided. "Just keep going past the interrogation rooms and the supermax wing." He lingered for a moment, then left. "I'll catch up with you later, Shepard."

"I don't like the way this place is making me feel." Shepard said after the warden left. "Everyone be on your guard." Then, she started leading the team down the hallway.

As they were walking, the Doctor noticed something. A cell was attacked to the hallway, and inside, a guard was beating the prisoner. "Is this really necessary?" The Time Lord demanded.

"Compared to what he did to his victims, this is a light massage." The guard outside the cell responded.

"If you keep doing this, it makes you no better than him." The Doctor told the guard. "Besides, don't you get tired of it?"

"...I admit, I kind of do." The guard reluctantly admitted. "I wonder, is this really getting us anywhere?"

"Then stop this." The Doctor pointedly told. "For your own sake." Then, he caught up with the others, who had just crossed the threshold into outprocessing.

The four approached the door on the far side of the room and opened it.

Instead of what the four expected, they were met with one of the cells used to store prisoners. _"My apologies, Shepard."_ The warden's voice rang from overhead. _"You're more valuable as a prisoner than a customer. Drop your weapons, step inside, and you won’t be harmed."_

"Kuril," Shepard cracked her knuckles, "You’re _not_ going to try and trick my team into becoming prisoners and get away with it."

 _"Activate systems!"_ The warden ordered. At that instant, numerous Blue Suns entered the room, firing their guns at the four, who scrambled into cover.

A FENRIS mech charged into the room, and the Doctor, seeing his opportunity, took it. He pointed the screwdriver at the tiny robot, and pressed the activator, causing the mech to spark, and then go running back to its owners. The mech then triggered an EMP and knocked out the shields of the assembled Blue Suns.

"Excellent work, Doctor!" Shepard shouted as she fired upon the Blue Suns. After the last one was dispatched, the four ran out into the hall, taking care of the other two Blue Suns that tried to stop them. Shepard opened the door into the cryo chamber and entered.

"Shepard is on the loose!" A techie shouted frantically. "I repeat, Shepard is- aagh!" Shepard shot the man right through the hart and watched coldly as his body toppled to the floor.

The Doctor didn't comment on any of it, just settling to watch as the Commander approached the controls.

"If we hack that control, every cell on board opens." Miranda warned.

"It's the only way to get Jack out of cryo." Zaeed said.

"Oh, that's a rubbish word, 'only.'" The Doctor rambled, approaching the controls. "There are always alternatives to situations." The Doctor looked over the controls. "Should be a cakewalk for the sonic." He ran the device over the terminal, and grinned. "There, you can press it without popping open every other cell on board."

Shepard nodded, and slammed her hand down on the button.

In response, three YMIR mechs below activated, and a big metal arm with two prongs extended down from the roof. The arm inserted its two prongs into two similarly sized holes in the floor and rotated. The arm then pulled up a cylinder, with something resembling an examination table inside.

" _That's_ Jack?" Miranda asked, looking at the frail, heavily tattooed female form cuffed to the table.

Jack's eyes snapped open, and the woman looked around the room. Her expression changed to fury, and she started pulling herself out of the cuffs, breaking them in the process.

Jack fell to the floor and saw the three mechs approach. She gritter her teeth, and dark energy started gathering up around her fist in a blue aura. Jack, howling a primal roar, charged towards the mechs, decimating them in an explosion, which consequently shook the floor beneath them.

"That was impressive." The Doctor looked down at the room in awe.

"We have to get down there, let's move!" Shepard led the group through the door, and down the ramp into the cryo storage area.

On the other end of the room, the wall was ripped open, creating a passageway into the other areas of the ship. How could someone so small create so much damage?

 _"All guards, restore order!"_ Kuril shouted. _"Lethal force authorized, but don't kill Jack! Techs, lockdown, lockdown!"_

 _"Sections seven, nine, and eleven have lost life support."_ The Purgatory's computer reported, without a hint of emotion. _"No survivors."_

The four walked through another hole in the wall, into the cellblock, where the prisoners that hadn't been in their cells when Jack was released, along with the guards, were fighting. The red emergency lighting was on, fires were everywhere, and the ship was crumbling as the four made their way through.

 _"All prisoners, return to your cells immediately, or I'll open every airlock on this ship!"_ The warden threatened.

On the other side of the cellblock, a YMIR mech activated to supress the fighting.

"Doctor." Shepard pointed out.

The Doctor nodded, aimed the screwdriver at the mech, and pressed the button, causing the two-ton behemoth to explode, after it had already taken down the unarmed prisoners.

The four got out of cover and proceeded forth.

_"Warning: All reactor core safeguards are now non-functional. Prepare for reactor meltdown."_

The four walked into another cellblock, where the guards were waiting for them. Shepard fired at the canister on the walkway above them, causing it to explode, and set fire to the two guards next to it.

The four proceeded through the ship, taking out more guards as they came across them.

Eventually, the four entered the final cellblock, where the warden was waiting for them.

"You're valuable, Shepard." The warden said, firing at them, but missing. "I could have sold you and lived like a king! But you're too much trouble. At least I can recapture Jack."

"Not happening!" Shepard shouted back. "You're a two-bit slave trader, and I don't have time for it."

"I do the hard things civil governments are unwilling to. This is for the good of the galaxy!" He argued. Then, three energy pylons activated, powering a shield that protected the warden, while more guards came in.

"Doctor, you take out one of the pylons, while me and the others take out the rest!" Shepard ordered over the gunfire.

The Doctor nodded, and sprinted out of cover, ducking and dodging the bullets that came his way.

Across the room, a grenade detonated, taking out a pylon. Then, another one of the pylons was subject to an Overload.

Finally, the Doctor pointed his screwdriver at the pylon, and pushed the activator, causing the pylon to short out.

Shepard and the others then focused their fire on the remaining guards, before directing it to the warden.

His shields couldn't handle the fire, and his armor was torn through by an inferno grenade, before he finally dropped dead from his wounds.

"Come on." Shepard said. "We can still catch up to Jack."

She led the others through the halls, following the path of destruction, finally coming to a stop once they found Jack screaming in rage at the Normandy.

Shepard saw a guard trying to run towards Jack. Shepard fired her pistol, which took out the guard, and also had the effect of getting Jack's attention.

"What the hell do you want?" Jack spat.

"You're in a bad situation, and I'm here to get you out of it." Shepard answered nonchalantly.

"Shit, you sound like a pussy." Jack chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere with you. You're Cerberus."

"The dog?" The Doctor asked. "I mean, Shepard isn't exactly Marilyn Monroe, but she isn't... I'll stop talking now."

"I'm here to ask for your help." Shepard continued, ignoring the Doctor.

"You show up in a Cerberus frigate to take me away somewhere?" Jack looked over the Normandy. "You think I'm stupid?"

"This ship is going down in flames. I've got the only boat off. I'm offering to take you with me, and _you're arguing._ "

"We could just knock her out and take her." Miranda suggested.

"I'd like to see you try." Jack returned.

"We're not going to attack her." Shepard said.

"Good move. Look you want me to come with you? Make it worth my while." Jack approached.

"Fine, I'll do what I can." Shepard sighed, getting tired of having to jump through hoops all the time.

"Don't make promises you can't keep. I bet your ship's got lots of Cerberus databases. I want in, see what they've got on me. You want me on your team, you give me that."

"Done."

"Shepard, you're not authorized to do that!" Miranda interjected.

"It pisses off the cheerleader." Jack grinned. "Even better. You'd better be straight-up with me."

Shepard just nodded.

"Then why the hell are we standing around here?" Jack asked.

"Move out." Shepard ordered, and the four boarded the Normandy.


	15. The Midnight Ride

"Look alive, Susan!" The Doctor yelled, hanging upside down from the level above. They were in the TARDIS console room, just lounging around, while Susan sat under the Time Rotor, feeling close to the hum of the ship.

"Eek!" Susan shouted in surprise. "Grandfather, why are you hanging upside down like that?" She asked once the surprise subsided.

"Well, I can't every well talk and keep eye contact while being right-side up up here, now can I? Come on, we're going on a field trip!" He said, pulling himself up.

"A field trip? Where?" Susan asked, walking up the stairs to the console

"Earth!" The Doctor responded, setting the controls. "Specifically, Philadelphia, on July 4th, 1776."

Susan frowned. "What happens on that particular date?" Susan tilted her head.

"The signing of the Declaration of Independence, the biggest turning point in American history!" The Doctor pulled the dematerialization lever, and the TARDIS set off. "I normally tend to stay away from America, all those guns and bravado and thinking they as a country are better than everybody else just because they think they can say whatever they want and get away with it…” The Doctor shook his head. “Come’s back to bite them eventually, though.”

"But why America?" Susan wondered.

"Would you rather go to the French Revolution, and risk being beheaded?"

"...I see your point. But still, grandfather, why?"

The Doctor rubbed his forehead. "You'll need to learn basic human history if you want to blend in, and I've learned to stay away from England. Especially in the past. Trouble seems to follow, otherwise."

"You? Trouble?" Susan scoffed. "Grandfather. you're one of the most non-troublemaker-ish people I know!"

"You don't know what I've been getting up to in the past nine-hundred years since I've seen you. Have I told you about the time I married Queen Elizabeth?" The Doctor smiled wryly.

The TARDIS engines wheezed, and finally thumped as the ship landed. The Doctor moved over to open the door, but was stopped by Susan, asking:

"Grandfather, shouldn't we change before we go out there?"

The Doctor frowned, confused. "Why would we do that?"

"So we blend in, perhaps?"

"Oh, yes, quite right." The Doctor nodded. "There should be clothes in the wardrobe. Off you pop. And don't take too long!" He shouted as Susan ran to the wardrobe. Minutes later, she came back, wearing period-appropriate dress.

The Doctor threw open the doors, and they stepped out.

"Wait a minute..." The Doctor looked around. "This isn't Philadelphia, this is Boston!" He groaned in frustration. "I overshot... _again._ " But then, he perked up. "Then again, this _is_ where Paul Revere began his legendary ride..."

"Who and what?"

"Right, forgot you aren't that well-versed in Earth history. See, on April 18th, 1775 a man named Paul Revere, along a few other splendid chaps, myself among them, rode all the way from here to Concord with the goal of warning the people that the British army was on its way. But he never made it, and was instead stopped in a town called Lexington by British patrols."

"And what makes this ride of his so legendary?"

"Honestly? I don't know. Maybe it's how he was so determined. Maybe it's how it led America to winning the war. Or maybe, it's because the whole time, he kept yelling-"

"The British are coming! The British are coming!" A masculine American yelled, riding up behind them. He stopped and dismounted his horse. "Sorry, I've always wanted to say that." He said, pulling down the hood on his cloak. "Hey, Hey!" Jack Harkness smiled, jumping off the horse.

"Jack!" The Doctor smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"That's sort of a long story, but never mind that. Who's your new… friend?" Jack winked in Susan's direction, causing the Gallifreyan to blush.

"No, stop that!" The Doctor madly gesticulated. "You're married! And even if you weren't, she's my granddaughter!"

"Really?" Jack asked, eyes widening. “A granddaughter? You look damn good your age. Come on." Jack said, leading Susan and the Doctor back the way he came.

“Where are we going?” The Doctor questioned as they walked through the streets.

“Our base of operations.” Jack answered.

"What about the horse?" Susan asked.

"Oh, don't worry. He's fine where he is." Jack dismissed. He led them through the empty streets of Boston, to a small tavern-slash-inn on the edge of town. Jack took the two up the stairs, and to the room at the end of the hall. "Guys, we got guests!" He shouted, throwing the door open.

The other three inhabitants of the room and turned to look in their directions.

"Doctor." The proper Doctor said to John. He turned to the woman that hadn’t been part of the group the last time he’d checked in. “And Sarah Jane Smith!” He beamed, enthusiastically shaking her hand.

“Um…” Sarah Jane, who had been picked up from the seventies if her age was any indicator, confusedly replied. “Hello.”

"Sorry, grandfather, but… who are these people?" Susan asked, looking at the four warily.

“Susan!” The Doctor clapped his hands. “Meet the extended family! Your uncle, technically,” He pointed to John, “His ex,” He pointed to Rose, “Her husband,” To Jack, “And Sarah Jane Smith! But never mind that… what are they doing here.

"We're looking for a crashed spaceship." Sarah Jane answered.

"A _Zygon_ ship." John elaborated.

“Ah, Zygons…” The Doctor reflected with a slight smile. “Big red rubbery things covered in suckers. Surprisingly good kissers. What have you got?” He questioned, walking over to a table with a paper map. "Well, that's rubbish, isn't it? The TARDIS could find that ship in seconds."

"There's a problem with that." Jack said. "The TARDIS got carried off, back to that ship. Hence why we're using conventional maps."

"What about the sonic?" The Doctor asked.

John shook his head. "Can't. That ship may be crashed, but it's cloaked. Not even the sonic can pick it up. But the question should not be where they are, but what they're planning."

"I'll bite, what are they planning?" The Doctor asked.

"We don't know." Sarah Jane admitted, still studying the map.

John nodded in agreement. "This is our eighteenth consecutive trip in the new TARDIS. Only reason we're here is because the TARDIS just dropped out of the vortex mid-flight. So, whatever they're planning, has to do with altering history. Then again, it usually does with these cases..."

The Doctor rubbed his chin in thought. "Jack has his vortex manipulator. He can use it to trace the temporal distortions back to their source."

"Don't you think we've already tried that?" Jack asked. "The distortions that ship's giving off messed with the vortex manipulator, activated the damned thing, and shot me right out of this era. Twice. First time, I ended up in ancient Egypt and ended up having a run-in with King Tut, horrible experience. The second time, I overshot completely. I only managed to get back with a lot of luck. That, and with a new control circuit I managed to pick up from a junkyard in the 6200s." The ex-Time Agent shrugged. "And that's not even mentioning the dimensional lesions."

"Well, sounds they counted on Time Agents showing up, not us.” The Doctor remarked. “Unlucky for them, we’re so much worse. What are they planning?”

“If we knew that,” Rose began, “We wouldn’t be here, standing around debating about it.”

“…Shut up!” The Doctor pointed. “Come on, let’s head back to my TARDIS.” The Doctor answered. "We can use her to find the Zygons."

Thus, the Doctor took charge, leading the others back out of the inn, backtracking to the original TARDIS, chatting it up while they did so.

"So... You're his granddaughter." Rose prompted Susan.

"Yes, I am." Susan responded. "Why?"

"The Doctor, the one that I'm used to… He doesn’t like to talk about his family.” Rose said quietly, as they continued.

“I can imagine.” Susan looked away with a sad sort of smile on her face. “They don’t like him anymore.”

“What?” Rose frowned, tilting her head. “…Why not?”

“Well, he… associated himself with a very dangerous person.” Susan explained quietly. “Grandfather, my Uncle, and Omega were friends with a woman named Tecteun.”

“Oh, don’t be daft!” John called from ahead. “She was a research assistant in the right place at the right time, not a friend!”

Susan shook her head and continued. “The four of them were very good friends… but then Tecteun did something horrible.”

“What was it?” Sarah Jane, listening in, asked curiously.

“…I don’t know, not for sure.” Susan replied. “But I’ve heard rumors. Rumors that Tecteun found a lone child sitting at the bottom of a great Boundary on the edge of time and space… That in trying to understand the child and send it back to where it came from, she unleashed one of the greatest evils ever known into the universe.”

“Which is completely untrue!” The Doctor shouted from ahead. “The Great Vampires were released by our experiments into time travel, not Tecteun!” The Doctor shook his head. “Lying, cheating, self-serving…” He grumbled distastefully as they came up on the TARDIS.

“Sounds like this woman was a real piece of work.” Jack remarked, as they walked up to the police box.

"Right-o, here we are!" John shouted, pushing open the TARDIS doors. “Oh, you’ve redecorated…” He stopped at the threshold, looking around the console room. “I don’t like it.”

“Oh, get in, you!” The Doctor grumbled, shoving John into the TARDIS, the rest of them filing in, all assembling around the console.

"Mister Harkness," Susan addressed, "you mentioned something about dimensional lesions?"

"That I did." Jack nodded.

"Grandfather, do you have anything that could help with that?"

"Hmm?" The Doctor looked up from the oval-shaped map unit set into the console. "Oh, right. There should be a dimensional equalizer in storage room seven, and enough components to build two spares. Let's see, if cloaking tech like that has to make distortions in the electromagnetic field..." The Doctor mumbled, looking back down.

Susan nodded, and turned to Rose and Sarah Jane. "Come on, it's this way." She said, leading them off into the depths of the TARDIS.

John, with his brainy specs on, frowned at the map unit. "Those distortion patterns make no sense. And I have to say, planning things out like this and being careful really isn't like us." John commented.

"No, it isn't. But I've got Susan to think about, and if I lose her... I don't know what I'd do." The Doctor quietly responded. "Jack, did your vortex manipulator also happen to record the locations of the dimensional lesions?"

"Yeah..." Jack said slowly. "Why?"

"Gimmie." The Doctor pulled the device off Jack's arm and linked it to the TARDIS. "Bingo!" He said, as red dots were overlaid over the temporal distortions, causing something to be realized. "They're radiating inward counterclockwise in a spiral pattern, but if you look at that..."

"All of them except the center one is no smaller than a pinprick, but dimensional energy is flowing from one lesion to the other, like a bit of cable." John squinted. "It looks like all those other lesions are natural..." He then realized something. "The center lesion, that's where the Zygon ship is!"

"How can you be sure?" Jack asked.

"The dimensional energy is flowing from one to the other, all into the center, keeping it stable." John explained. "But the amount of energy required to open the lesion in the first place couldn't have been generated by anything in this time period. And the Zygons wouldn't have been able to open it a few meters away from their ship at the most."

"So that center breach is where the Zygons are." Jack nodded in understanding.

"Correctomundo!" John then acted like he had a bad taste in his mouth. "I swore to myself I'd never say that again."

"Right, I've already set the controls." The Doctor said, pushing the last button. "Shall we?" He pulled the lever, and the TARDIS dematerialized.


	16. Zygon: When Being You Just Isn't Enough

The TARDIS rematerialized, and the six gingerly stepped out into a dark cavern.

"Where are we?" Sarah Jane whispered.

"We're in an underwater cave at least a hundred miles away." The Doctor answered. "The biggest dimensional lesion should be nearby. You three have the equipment to close it?"

Rose, Sarah Jane, and Susan nodded, holding their dimensional equalizers.

"Good. Now, remember not to close the lesion until we figure out what they're plotting. Got that?"

The three nodded, and the six descended into the cave. They walked for at least half an hour, before coming to a dead-end, with a wall made by a firm-yet-soft meat-like substance causing the problem.

"Yep, that's definitely the crashed ship." John said, examining it.

"How can you tell?" Rose asked.

"Zygon technology is mostly biological, and that extends to their spaceships. Don't ask me how it works, 'cause I don't know."

"Doesn’t look much like a ship.” Jack remarked, looking at how the construct was built into the wall. “How are we going to get in...?" Jack wondered.

"We could just knock." The Doctor said.

Everyone looked at him like he was the stupidest person in the cosmos. "What? It was just a suggestion." He pouted.

"You know, he might be on to something." John said after a moment. He started rapping his knuckles on the door in various places, until he hit a spot softer than all the others, and the door slid open. "Ah ha!"

The Doctor just looked smug.

The others (except for John) shook their heads and entered. They came to a junction in the corridor, and it split off into three directions.

"Alright, we'll split up into groups of two." The Doctor started pointing. "Rose, you go with Jack. Sarah Jane, with me. And Susan'll go with that one."

"Oi! That one!?"

"What exactly are we looking for?" Sarah Jane questioned. "And what are we supposed to do when we find it?"

"Like I said, the bridge, or wherever they're keeping the lesion. As for what to do..."The Doctor thought about it, and then pulled a gun-like object out of his pocket. He slid something into the top, pressed the barrel against his palm, and pulled the trigger. "Ow." He shook his hand. "These," He said, holding up his palm to reveal a slight bump, "are nanocommunicators. They link to the nerves in your hand and transmit thoughts telepathically. Used something a little bit like this a while back, actually. Except they were recording devices, not communicators. Anyway, you press the bump on your palm, and it starts transmitting. We should be able to receive each other, no matter the distance. Now," He cocked the 'gun,' "everyone hold out your hand."

They all held out their left hand, and the Doctor went around, injecting the nanocommunicators into each.

"Alright, that should be all of you." The Doctor put the injector away. "Alright, gang, let's split up!" He chuckled lightly. "I've always wanted to say that. Well, I've always wanted to say a lot of things, that just happened to be at the top of the list this week." He rambled as he and Sarah Jane took the middle path.

The others followed their example and took the left corridor and the one on the right.

**_**DW**_ **

"So…” Susan began awkwardly as she and John walked down the corridor. “A biological meta-crisis? How did grandfather get himself into a situation dangerous enough to create a biological meta-crisis?”

“Oh, that’s a long story.” John grinned. “But it ends with a Temp saving the universe.” His face fell when he realized something important. "You know what? I don't think I've spotted a single Zygon since we entered."

"I wonder why that is."

"Me too. But, if we find the bridge, we can do a scan for life-signs."

"Then I guess we had better go do that."

The two walked for another minute or so, before coming to a large, square pyramid-shaped chamber. The chamber was empty, but held a large sphere in the center, with monitors surrounding it.

"Is this it?" Susan asked.

"No, I think it's the reactor." He put on his brainy specs and moved to inspect the monitors. His eyebrows skyrocketed, and he sharply inhaled. “Oh, wow…”

"What is it?"

"This reactor is beautiful!” John beamed. “I haven’t seen craftsmanship like this in ages! The output on this thing… This could create enough energy to power a planet.”

Susan frowned, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked at John. "What would they need with that much energy?"

"I don't know..." He frowned. "But it all seems to be going to the room at the end of the corridor Rose and Jack went down."

Then, unbeknownst to those in the room, a small series of vents on the ceiling flicked open, as a purple haze descended upon the room…

And John and Susan fell to the ground, inert.

**_**DW**_ **

"You know, this kind of reminds me of our wedding night." Jack smiled as the two of them walked. "Just the two of us, running around in a dark corridor, with no one to witness anything..."

"Stop it." Rose groaned.

"I was tempted to ask that Zygon to stay..."

"Jack, seriously. I'm trying to do what the Doctor said, and I can't if you're in my ear rambling on about your perverted twin-fantasies."

"Come on." He crossed his arms. "Don't tell me you didn't think about it too."

Rose tried to argue, but no sound came out, as she realized he was somewhat right.

She would never let him know that, though. She would never hear the end of it.

"Here's a question: Where is everyone?" She changed the subject, as they came up on the end of the corridor.

"Out for a drink?" He shrugged. "This is a very small base, relatively speaking. I wouldn't be surprised if it was only maintained by five of them, at the most. That, or it could be abandoned. After all, we haven't seen any actual Zygons. For all we know, the TARDIS could've just been carried off by one of the natives." The door at the end of the corridor opened, and they stepped in. "Oh my God..."

In the center of the room, like a proud monument, stood a cannon-shaped device, curved almost like a champagne bottle, with ornate, circular writings etched into the golden metal. 

"What is it?"

"Oh, look at you, you big, sexy thing!” Jack ignored Rose, as he ran up to the base of the device. "A teleport like this… it might as well be a work of art.

Then, a hissing sound started filling their ears, and purple gas started emanating from the small vents.

"The door!" Jack shouted, as he and Rose tried to escape.

But the door slid closed before they could get to it, as the mysterious gas filled the room, and both lost awareness.

**_**DW**_ **

"Here we are." The Doctor commented, as they came to a door. The door slid open, revealing a room filled with computer banks. "That can't be right..."

"What is it?" Sarah Jane looked confusedly at the Doctor. “What’s wrong?”

"All of the corridors were the same length." The Doctor explained. "Meaning that we got in here as they did. Meaning that they haven't found the bridge."

"But there were only three corridors!"

"Exactly." Then, the Time Lord's eyes widened. "It's a trap!" He yelled, as the door shut, and the knockout gas filled the room.

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor awoke several hours later, dazed, and strapped down in an unfamiliar chair, in what looked to be an interrogation room.

Across from the Doctor, stood one of the alien invaders themselves. A Zygon.

"Ah, hello, Doctor." The Zygon across from him spoke.

"Oh, and who are you?" The Doctor responded.

"I am General Darmok." The Zygon sneered. "Of the-"

"Yeah, that's great and all, but where are my friends?"

"Your companions have been detained. They are watching us as we speak."

"Oh, so this is one of your gloating things, isn't it? How did you capture us?"

"We had you trapped the moment your TARDIS landed outside Ark Base."

"Ah, so it was a base, not a ship. That explains it. Why do you have a base set up, though?" The Doctor asked. “Come on, here you have me, strapped to a chair, unable to move. Tell me.”

"Ark Base has three components vital to our plan." Darmok started pacing. "A Gallifreyan Magnetron, a microfusion plant, and a Zaxton M-511 computer. These components are far too dangerous to store on a ship."

"Where did you get them?"

"Our benefactor provided these devices to us.” Darmok explained, turning back to the Doctor. “She has provided the guidance and materials necessary to see this plan completed.”

"Plan?" The Doctor started thinking to himself. The Zaxton Computing corporation was almost universally renowned for making very powerful computers, capable of simulating entire planets down to the subatomic level. Gallifreyan teleports could transport entire continents at maximum power. With the souped-up fusion reactor, capable of generating enough power at once to power an entire planet… So whatever the Zygons were planning, it was big. "Well, enough beating around the bush. Ooh, I should use that more often... What's your plan?"

"War is coming, Doctor.” Darmok sneered. “A great War in Heaven, with all the universe afflicted by its eternal fallout. We have already been forced to bear the terrible consequences of the War, and I say to you… No more!”

“That’s what this is about!?” The Doctor questioned. “With the tech in this place, you could move planets, why-“ The Doctor cut himself off, as he hit himself with an epiphany. “That’s what you’re going to do!? Move your homeworld out of the crossfire, and put Earth in its place!?”

“No.” Darmok looked upon the Doctor like he was stupid. “With the technology provided to us, coupled with the dimensional lesion reaching across time, it will be a simple matter of teleporting the population of Zygor to Earth."

"And what are you going to do with the human race?" The Doctor demanded.

"Our world was completely atomized,” Darmok sounded choked for a moment, as though the events were replaying in his mind. “It is unlikely the Time Lords would notice the difference between the atoms that make up human and Zygon biology..."

“Look, I understand wanting to save your people, really, I do, but think about what you’re doing! You'd cause time to unravel like a cheap dishrag in the wash cycle!"

"Our Benefactor would beg to disagree." Darmok stressed. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must attend to the upcoming festivities." And then, he walked out.

The Doctor tried reaching for his screwdriver after Darmok left but couldn't find it. It seemed the Zygons had confiscated it. But all hope wasn't lost, for as he reached into his pockets, he felt the small bauble-shaped bombs used by the roboforms being controlled by the Racnoss Queen. He pulled one out, and felt around for the remote control. He found it and pulled it out.

Then, he activated the remote, causing the bauble to start hovering. He pressed one of buttons, and the bauble was sent flying into the wall, making a small explosion, and scattering bits of shrapnel in the room.

After the small wisps of smoke cleared, the Doctor reached for a bit of shrapnel sharp enough to cut through his bindings, and set to work.

**_**DW_ **

"Ah-ha! Got it!" The Doctor shouted in triumph, as he broke free of his bindings. He jumped up from his seat, and looked around. He started looking around for something that could help him escape.

The explosive baubles likely weren't strong enough to blast through the door, and given that he didn't have the sonic, he couldn't hack it open.

The Doctor squared his shoulders, and braced himself, as he sprinted towards the door, ready to break it down.

The Doctor inhaled as he approached the door, and…

It opened, as the Doctor smacked into the wall at the other side.

"How did you get it unlocked?" The Doctor looked up, slightly dazed.

"Wasn't locked to begin with." Jack said, pulling the Doctor up. "Come on. It shouldn’t be-"

*BOOM!*

"-long until the distraction." Jack meeky finished.

"Ha, excellent!" The Doctor shouted as they ran through the base's corridors. "How'd you lot get out?" The Doctor asked, as he and Jack rejoined the others, minus John. They were all standing outside a perfect recreation of the Tenth Doctor's TARDIS, in a room filled with terminals.

"They didn't take away his sonic." Rose explained. "They didn't think he was you, so they didn't search him."

"Well that was fortunate." The Doctor commented. "What are you lot trying to do?"

"We're _trying_ to stop the activation sequence." Susan said, as she and Sarah Jane were frantically pressing the controls on the terminals in front of them. "But it's not working!"

"Hence why John had to go off and make some trouble in the reactor." Jack explained.

 _"Alert: Prepare for teleport in five minutes."_ The voice of the Zygon computer announced.

"Well, that's my cue." The Doctor said, hopping into action. He charged over to one of the control terminals, and his fingers started flying over the keys. "It looks like that the teleport is hooked up to the main reactor only, and not any of the backups... Susan, you ready to fly a TARDIS?"

"What, now!?” Susan fearfully asked, as the room shook from another explosion. “By myself!?”

"Susan, you can do this. I believe in you." The Doctor encouraged. "I'm going to go do something incredibly dangerous and will probably need a quick escape. Just go in and wait for my signal."

"What signal?" Susan asked as she and the others piled into John’s TARDIS.

"You'll know it when you see it." The Doctor said, leaving the room.

Susan just shook her head and closed the doors.

The Doctor was walking down to the end of the corridor, passing the cell he was in a moment ago. On the outside wall of the cell, there was a small compartment. The Doctor peeked inside and brightened as he saw his sonic screwdriver. He grabbed it, stashed it, and proceeded into the end of the corridor.

He came to a circular dead end and looked around. Seeing a glowing switch, he pressed it, and the floor under him started rising up, as the ceiling above him opened up. The elevator stopped in the same corridor junction that he and the others had been in moments ago. However, the entire place was now lit up, allowing him to see the clearly labeled corridors.

He ran down the one marked 'Reactor' and entered, to see the Zygons standing over the knocked-out John.

"It is too late, Doctor." The Zygon leader said. "You cannot stop the teleport."

"Except there won't be a teleport." The Doctor rebutted. "But there wasn't _really_ gonna be a teleport in the first place."

"You are wrong. The human race will perish."

"No, they won't." The Doctor argued. "'Cause that teleport you've got in there? I saw a glimpse of it on my way here, and that's nothing more than a bunch of bells and whistles hooked up to look like a Time Lord teleport. This reactor though, this is the real deal. And you know what all that energy you've got pumping into the shoddy teleport's gonna do? Overload. Everything in this base, along with the base itself, will be vaporized."

"You lie!” Darmok snarled.

"I most certainly am not!" The Doctor shot back. “How much do you know about that mysterious benefactor of yours, eh? She really gave all this to you, free of charge?” The Doctor snorted. “Do me a favor! She probably wired all of this to blow up in your face the moment you tried to activate it.”

"Then you shall die with us."

"No, you see, I don't think so." The Doctor stood directly over John.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because of this." The Doctor held up his sonic screwdriver, and pressed the button, causing the reactor core safeties to immediately be disabled, and accelerating the core meltdown. Then, the reactor room was gradually replaced with the other TARDIS's console room, as the ship made its iconic sound.

"John!" Sarah Jane shouted as she ran to check on him. "Jack, help me get him to the sickbay!"

Jack nodded, and he and Sarah Jane carried the slumped-over form of John off, while the Doctor tended to the controls.

The TARDIS started landing again, and the Doctor ran to the door.

"Where are you going?" Rose asked.

"To fly my TARDIS up to the surface." The Doctor explained. "Susan, you fly this one up!" He ran out, and into the proper TARDIS, setting the controls.

Behind him, John's TARDIS took off, and soon, the Doctor's TARDIS followed.

Both TARDISes landed on a beach, looking out on the ocean. The Doctor ran out of his TARDIS, and the others (minus Sarah Jane and John) out of the other one. A bright flash illuminated part of the ocean in front of them, and the ground shook beneath them.

"Well, there goes the Zygons." Jack remarked.

The Doctor clapped his hands together. "So, the human race is saved! Again!"

"Again?" Susan asked.

"Yeah, this sort of thing tends to happen a lot." Rose explained.

The Doctor looked down at his watch and said. "Well, me and Susan have to be off. Shepard isn't going to be too happy if we show up late. Goodbye, you two." The Doctor said, running into the TARDIS.

"Goodbye!" Susan said, as the Doctor pulled her in.

The doors slammed, and the TARDIS dematerialized, leaving the other TARDIS, and Rose and Jack behind...

“…Shit, we didn’t close that lesion, did we?”


	17. Horizon

"Doctor!" A loud banging came from the TARDIS doors, as Shepard shouted. "We need you!"

The Doctor flicked a little toggle switch on the console, and unlocked the doors, allowing Shepard to come sprinting in, clad in her armor. "What's all the racket about?" The Doctor asked.

"Okay, never minding the fact that you disappeared for about a week without a trace, we've got trouble." Shepard said.

"What kind of trouble?" The Doctor inquired.

"Another one of our colonies is under attack, _right now._ " Shepard said. "We've got a countermeasure for the seeker swarms, but no idea if it's gonna work or not."

"So you want me to come down? Make sure it works right?" The Doctor guessed.

Shepard nodded, confirming his guess. "I would ask Mordin to do it, but he had an accident in the lab. He's in the medbay, knocked out, which means that you're the only one with the knowledge of how the countermeasure works, and how to fix it if it goes wrong."

"Lucky me." The Doctor scoffed sarcastically. He then turned to Susan. "I'm going to go out for a while." He quietly told her. "While I am, I want you to go out and socialize with the crew of the Normandy for a bit.” He turned back to Shepard. "Let's go."

Shepard nodded, and they walked through the doors, leading the Doctor over to the shuttle. The shuttle was packed with the current members of the suicide squad that Shepard had built up. Jack, Miranda, Zaeed, Kasumi, Garrus, Grunt, and Jacob were all packed together like sardines.

The Doctor raised his eyebrow at the towering alien.

"What're you looking at." Grunt boomed.

"He's our latest recruit." Shepard told the Doctor. "A lot happened in that week you were gone. By the way, we're going to have a talk about doing that when we get back to the ship."

"I wouldn't expect otherwise." The Doctor smiled. He clapped his hands together, and started asking questions. "So, anything I need to know about this colony?"

"Not really, no." Shepard shook her head. "It's just a normal colony."

"Commander, we'll be hitting the LZ in five!" The Cerberus pilot reported.

Shepard nodded, and the group prepared for the fight.

**_**DW**_ **

Susan absentmindedly wandered through the corridors of the Normandy. So far, at most of the areas of the ship she had visited, she was turned away because they were currently on high alert, meaning non-essential personnel weren't allowed in critical areas.

Which, so far, was proving to be unfortunate for Susan, as that meant she couldn’t socialize like the Doctor had said.

She got her wish, when she noticed the Salarian scientist in the medbay. If no one else was willing to talk with her, maybe he was.

"Ah," Mordin inhaled as he saw Susan enter, "Doctor's granddaughter. Susan, I believe?"

Susan nodded in lieu of a verbal response and looked at Mordin's injuries from where she stood. The Salarian had burns -not too severe- covering half of his face, and a deep cut on his forehead. "What happened?" Susan curiously asked.

"Equipment overload." Mordin answered at his usual fast pace. "Was analyzing genetic sample, scanners could not handle work-" He inhaled, "-exploded. Don't worry, looks worse than it feels." Mordin tried to smile, but it turned into a grimace of great pain.

"Here, let me help." Susan said, approaching. Her hands started to emit golden energy, and she touched one of her fingers to the burned area of Mordin's flesh. Instantly, the same energy covered Mordin, and once it died down, he emerged.

Mordin looked twenty years younger, which for a Salarian, might as well have been sixty. The burns were healed, and the cut, and his other horn-thing had grown back.

Mordin's eyes widened as Susan pulled her hand back. "Interesting regenerative capabilities. Feel thirty years younger. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Susan returned. "Oh, and don't mention this to grandfather, will you? It wasn't a full regeneration, barely a fifth actually, but he'd still throw a fit if he knew I used it. So," She clasped her hands together, "What kind of genetic sample were you analyzing?"

Mordin sighed. "Commander Shepard's. Collected in secret, would not let her know until results of test came in."

"Why run the test in the first place?" Susan tilted her head.

"Discovered comprehensive medical data gathered from Doctor's physical. His internal physiology was remarkably similar to Shepard's." Mordin explained. "Human scientists deemed her 'defects' as results of experimentation, or advanced genetic engineering. STG also had data pertaining to Shepard's 'condition', most of it reviewed by myself, actually. Once I saw the Doctor's results, deemed them too similar to be coincidence."

"So you took a sample of blood, to try and compare her DNA to grandfather's." Susan understood. "But where would you get the other sample?"

"Doctor infected with plague back on Omega, started coughing up blood." Mordin said. "Managed to reclaim samples from clinic floor. Brought them with me when I boarded but was afraid to run tests without more samples. But… had to run tests. Had to find truth. But lab equipment exploded before tests could complete."

"So, what did you learn?"

"Nothing." Mordin shook his head. "No data yield before scanners were destroyed."

"You know, the TARDIS has some equipment that you could use."

"TARDIS?"

"Come on, I'll show you."

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor's tongue poked out of the side of his mouth as he looked intensely at the omni-tool he'd been given. "If I'm reading this right, and I honestly think I am, there's not a lot of seekers here, so Mordin's thingy should work." He reported as the others piled out of the shuttle.

"Good." Shepard said. "You stay in the center of the group. We can't have you die on us, you being the only one who knows how this works, and all."

The Doctor nodded, and the team set out, pushing their way through the town, and fighting the Collectors that moved to stop them. The fighting was standard-fare, the Collectors seemed to have two standard units, a drone-like footsoldier with no defenses beyond standard shields, and a tougher one with a biotic barrier and some ind of energy weapon. After they took them all out, the team proceeded, as the Collectors they had killed disintegrated.

They came to another small area, with husks and collectors loitering around. Shepard's group opened fire, and within a minute, combat was over.

"These look like the husks the geth used while I was hunting Saren." Shepard commented, looking down at the body. "Except different, more advanced."

"Just one more piece of evidence that pins the Collectors as servants to the Reapers." Miranda said.

"D'you think this is what they're using the abducted colonists for?" The Doctor asked, looking down at the husk, while anger bubbled up deep inside him.

"Maybe some, but not all of them." Shepard shook her head. "Husks aren't the most intelligent soldiers. The Collectors are using the colonists for something else, experiments maybe?"

"Maybe..." The Doctor's eyes narrowed. "But it doesn't matter. Whatever they're doing, they're going to be stopped."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Shepard smiled. "Come on, the more we wait, the more time we give the Collectors to get out of here." And with that, the group pressed forward.

The group fought through more Collectors and came to a block of prefabs. They came to a set of stairs, with a man at the bottom of them, frozen mid-running like a statue.

"Oh dear..." The Doctor mumbled as he examined the man. "He's still conscious." The Doctor stashed his screwdriver and addressed the frozen man. "Don't worry, it should wear off in about an hour." The Doctor got back at the center of the group, and they proceeded, but not before Shepard picked up some kind of Collector weapon and stashed it.

As they were proceeding, they could hear weapons fire in the distance.

"Looks like someone's putting up a fight." Shepard commented. "Come on, everyone! Double time!"

They came to an area in front of a large gun-like tower, where a woman with blonde curls and Indiana Jones-ish getup was fighting the Collectors single handedly.

 **"WE ARE HARBINGER."** A Collector boomed, as it hovered in the air, and underwent some kind of transformation. Its skin cracked and glowed an angry orange, as the Collector increased in strength ten-fold.

"River!?" The Doctor shouted, as he dove into cover next to her.

"Hello sweetie." River responded, as she peeked up to fire on Harbinger.

"What in God's name are you doing here!? _How_ did you get here!?"

"Sorry, sweetie, but I'm not _that_ River." She mildly condescended, as the others focused on Harbinger. "She's just letting me borrow her appearance for a while. And the catchphrases."

"So that means you've _met_ my River. The mind races..."

"Does it now?" River smiled.

"So, I'm going to guess we've already met. From your perspective, at least." The Doctor theorized.

"More than that, you made me what I am today." She said, popping back up and firing more energy pulses at Harbinger. "Can't say anymore. Spoilers, and all that. As for what I'm doing here, I was writing a book, and the historical records were a bit too vague, so I decided to go back and see it for myself. Very easy if you've got a time machine. "

"Oh, that's good." The Doctor said, peeking out to try and use the sonic to disrupt Harbinger's barriers. "How much have you got done?"

"Spoilers." River winked again.

"Doctor!" Shepard shouted. "Less flirting, more shooting!"

"How was that flirting!?" The Doctor stammered.

"With me in the vicinity, it's very hard to tell." River's mouth curled into a smile.

 **"YOU CANNOT STOP US, SHEPARD."** Harbinger boomed as the Collector it was possessing began to disintegrate. **"THIS FORM IS DISPOSABLE. WE WILL RETURN."**

Shepard holstered her pistol as the Collector turned into a cloud of ash. "Who's this?" She questioned, approaching River. "And how'd she not get taken?"

"Professor River Song." River smiled, as if seeing someone she hadn't seen in a long while. "As for that second one, I got here shortly after the attack."

"Professor?" Shepard's eyebrow raised. "What of?"

"Archaeology."

"Archaeology? We're going to have to introduce you to Liara someday..." Garrus commented.

"Um, in case you all forgot, the colony is still in the middle of _being attacked_." Miranda emphasized.

"Right." Shepard acknowledged. She then turned to River. "You wanna come with? We could always use a little extra firepower."

"Sure, why not." River shrugged. "I'm going to have to head back to the University after we're done, however." The group came to a large door, and Shepard moved to hack it, before River stepped forward. "Let me." River pulled a gun-like object from its holster and aimed it at the door. She pulled the trigger, and a large square was projected onto the door, as the gun made a high-pitched whine. The square section of the wall disappeared, allowing them a method of entry.

"Showoff." Shepard mumbled.

**_**DW**_ **

Susan showed Mordin to the TARDIS, the Professor looking at it curiously as they approached. "Okay, you might want to prepare yourself for a little shock." Susan warned, unlocking the doors. She pushed both doors open and stepped inside. Mordin followed, after a brief moment of hesitation.

"Incredible." Mordin breathed in awe, as he looked around the console room. "Interior dimensions entirely separate from exterior. How big?"

"I don’t know for sure." Susan admitted. “There’s so much even I haven’t explored, it’d take a lifetime to map out fully… But, I think grandfather mentioned once the TARDIS weighed more than Gallifrey.”

Mordin's eyes widened. "Weight would crush Normandy like ant under boot! Prevented... how?"

"That's the weight of the TARDIS's interior dimensions." Susan elaborated. "The exterior shell is just that-a shell. It weighs no more than an ordinary Police Box from Earth. In most circumstances."

"Would love to know more about workings, perhaps in future." Mordin said. "For now, must work on sample analysis. Where is lab?"

"This way." Susan guided Mordin through the door at the bottom of the console room.

They entered one of the TARDIS's many corridors, and took a right, coming to a hexagonal hole in the floor. Mordin raised an eyebrow, and Susan jumped down it, but instead of dropping like a rock, she floated down like a feather, landing gently on the level below. Mordin followed, and they turned around, going right once they came to another fork in the corridor. Eventually, they came to a hexagonal room, which emitted a green glow, and was filled with various lab equipment.

Mordin pulled the samples out of their carrying case, and set to work, as Susan looked on.

A few moments later, Mordin's eyes widened as he made a breakthrough.

The large door behind them closed as the group left the small bunker. They talked to a mechanic who had taken refuge inside and were told about the GUARDIAN defense towers that had been installed by the Alliance.

So now, that's where they were heading. They came to a plaza swarming with Collectors, and they all took cover.

 **"ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL."** Harbinger boomed from across the battlefield.

The smaller drones were the easiest to take out, going down with just a couple of shots. But Harbinger was a different story entirely.

**"YOUR WEAPONS ARE USELESS. WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE."**

"Oh, there he goes." The Doctor groaned. "With the whole 'We are invincible' shtick."

 **"TIME LORD."** Harbinger addressed in response. **"YOUR PEOPLE ARE ARROGANT TO THE POINT OF STAGNATION. YOU ARE WEAK, JUST AS THEY."**

"Everyone stop firing!" The Doctor yelled, causing everyone to do just that, in confusion. He got up from cover, pointing the screwdriver directly at Harbinger as he did so. "I've figured out how you're possessing your subordinates, how to stop the signal in its tracks, and as an added bonus, how to keep you locked in that body until I want to let you go. So, start talking, or you can run the risk of being permanently damaged. Your choice..."

**"YOUR THREATS ARE USELESS. WE ARE MANY, YOU ARE BUT ONE."**

"Yes, but if you know anything about the Time Lords, you know what we're capable of." The Doctor growled. "I could go back and ensure that your entire species never crawled out of the primordial muck. So, _talk."_

 **"WE HAVE HARVESTED MILLIONS OF SPECIES. YOURS IS SIMPLY ANOTHER FIGURE."** Harbinger then burst into flames and turned to ash.

"Well, I wasn't expecting him to do that." The Doctor said, stashing the screwdriver.

"Come on, we have that tower online." She said, leading them through another large door, into a bigger plaza.

In the center of the plaza, an antenna was poking out of the ground, with a computer terminal attached to it. Shepard approached the terminal and connected it to the Normandy's systems.

"Normandy," Shepard addressed, opening the commlink, "Do you read?"

 _"Joker here."_ The helmsman responded. _"Signal's weak, Commander, but we got you."_

"Alright, EDI get these defense towers online, yesterday."

 _"Errors in the calibration software are easily rectified, but it will take time to bring the generators to full power."_ EDI warned. _"I recommend a defensive posture. I will not be able to masked the increased output."_

"Great, we'll be surrounded on all sides, under fire constantly." Shepard groaned. "Any other helpful tips?"

_"Just one: The Collectors are approaching your position. I recommend you ready weapons."_

"Doctor, you good with computers?" Shepard requested.

"Sure." The Time Lord shrugged.

"Do what you can to help EDI." Shepard ordered. "The rest of us will keep the Collectors occupied."

The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement, and approached the terminal, going over it with the sonic, as the Collector forces started dropping out of the sky.

"Well, that's rubbish." The Doctor mumbled as the gunfire rang from behind him. "They're never going to get those lasers online at this rate. Let's see, reactor control, reactor control... Bingo!" The Doctor's fingers started flying over the holographic keypad, and the Doctor routed a small jolt of energy from the secondary generators, to the primary ones, jumpstarting them, and causing the time the lasers took to power up to cut in half.

The fighting had stopped, but not before a large behemoth flew out of the sky and landed right next to the group.

"Everyone, focus your fire!" Shepard ordered.

But it wasn't working, the creature's powerful biotic barrier was absorbing the gunfire like it was nothing.

The Doctor frantically searched his screwdriver for a setting that could destroy the barrier, or at the very least, disrupt it. After a moment, he happened across a setting that could be used to disrupt the flow of dark energy currents. He took aim, pressed the activator down, and the creature's barrier dispersed, allowing Shepard and co to do some serious damage.

After about a minute of sustained fire, in which the creature tried to scramble to safety, it crumbled to dust, making the area clear of Collectors.

"Look!" Jack shouted, pointing at the Collector ship.

EDI had already started to fire the defense cannons, as explosions hit the outside hull of the Collector ship. But the bottom of the ship was rotating, and reconfiguring.

The ship's engine lit, kicking dust and dirt into the air, as it took off, leaving the colony behind.

"No!" The mechanic from earlier shouted, running into the square. "You can't just let them get away!"

"Do I look like I have a _fucking jetpack_ to you?" Shepard scowled.

"Half the colony's in there!" The mechanic continued. "They took Egan, and Sam, and-and Lilith! Do something!"

"Hey, you think I _like_ seeing those bastards get away?" Shepard angrily retorted. "I did what I could."

"Yeah." The Doctor agreed. "But it never gets easy, not being able to save everyone. Does it, Shepard?"

"Shepard? Wait... I know that name." The man turned around. "Sure, I remember you. You're some kind of big Alliance hero."

"Commander Shepard." Another man said, walking out from behind a couple of crates. "Captain of the Normandy. The first human spectre. Savior of the Citadel." He said in reverence. "You're in the presence of a legend, Delan. And a ghost."

"All the good people we lost, you get left behind." The mechanic shook his head. "Figures. Screw this, I'm done with you Alliance types." He then walked off.

Kaidan -if the Doctor remembered correctly- walked up to Shepard and held out his hand. "I thought you were dead, Commander. We all did."

"It's been too long, Kaidan." Shepard shook his hand, smiling. "Hope the last two years have been treating you well."

"That all you have to say?" Kaidan gave a humorless chuckle. "You show up after two years, and act like nothing's happened? I would've followed you anywhere, Commander! We all would've. Why didn't you try to contact any of us? Even just to let us know you were alive?"

"If I may interject." The Doctor awkwardly said, approaching. "She's been... part of a deep-cover mission for the past two years, under the pretense of dealing with the Collector threat. Yeah, that sounds good." He mumbled that last sentence so quietly, that no one could hear it. "A single transmission could've given her away, risked the whole mission."

"Mission?" Kaidan incredulously repeated. "The mission where she's working for Cerberus?"

"Again, deep-cover. But of course, you don't believe me. So," He flashed the psychic paper. "Alliance ID." He put it into his other arm behind his back. "Council Credentials." He kept alternating. "Character references. And the mission objectives. Now, Staff Sergeant, what's going to happen is that we're going to walk away. You're either coming with us, to help us stop the real culprits, or we're going to go our separate ways. But either way, _you can't mention a single word of this to anyone._ Clear?"

"Clear enough." Kaidan stepped back. "I'm going back to the Citadel, let them see if they believe you. Goodbye, Commander." Kaidan said, walking off to the nearby spaceport.

"Joker, send the shuttle." Shepard ordered, activating the comm. "I want off this planet."

**_**DW**_ **

"Ow!" The Doctor yelled, as his face hit the shuttlebay's floor. Above him, Shepard's fist was balled up. "What was that for!?"

"I have had it with you!" Shepard said, silently bristling with anger. "For the past... six weeks, I have put up with you going out on your flights of whimsy without asking first, disappearing for days on end, and just being a damn weirdo! And I've been doing well, I think. But butting into _my personal business_ was the final straw! I had it under control with Kaidan, and you had no business butting in like that!"

“Shepard, please…” The Doctor tried to calm her down as he stood back up. “You’re angry, I understand, but I was just trying to help.”

“Help!?” Shepard repeated furiously. “You may have just made things worse! Kaidan’s going to go back to the Citadel, ask about the ‘deep cover mission,’ and when he comes up empty, he’s going to know it’s a lie!”

“Shepard…” The Doctor approached her carefully. “I need you to trust me. And if not that… trust I know what I’m doing.”

“Why should I?” Shepard demanded. “I know nothing about you. I don’t even know your real name.”

“…Then if nothing else, trust me because of this.” The Doctor gently grabbed onto one of Shepard’s hands, placing it over his chest.

Shepard’s eyebrows stitched together in confusion, before her eyes widened, and her lips parted like she couldn’t believe what she was feeling.

“You’re…” Shepard began, shocked. “Like me.”

“Well…” The Doctor swallowed. “From a certain point of view, I suppose, I _am_ you. Or rather, you are me. Get the crew you trust assembled in the comm room, and I can explain everything. I promise.”


	18. Shepard Who?

After Shepard went off to assemble the team, the Doctor found himself walking into the TARDIS, the timeship directing him to Susan, and though he didn't know it yet, Mordin.

He walked into the lab, and his eyebrows climbed into his hair. "Susan, care to explain why Mordin is in here?"

"Well, he needed equipment to analyze Shepard's blood, and none of the equipment on the Normandy would work." Susan explained quickly.

"Hmm… That works out perfectly for me, then." The Time Lord smiled, then turned to the Salarian. "Shepard's assembling the team in the briefing room. Take your data and go there. I might need it."

Mordin nodded and went to do just that.

"Susan, did you do what I think you did?" He asked, voice low, the moment the Salarian left the room.

"Grandfather, he was hurt!" Susan retorted.

"He would've healed on his own." The Doctor said. “You shouldn’t have wasted your energy like that.”

"Yes, he would, but think about it! Now, he gets to live longer! Wouldn't you have done it too."

"Yes, I suppose I would've, but that's not why I'm here... Listen, there's something I need to tell you." The Doctor led Susan back to the console room. He sat down on the stairs leading to the bottom level, and directed Susan to sit in a little chair across from him. "Susan... I'm not your grandfather."

Susan tilted her head towards the Doctor like he was stupid. "Don't be ridiculous. I know you are, I felt it!"

"No, I may be a version of your grandfather." The Doctor agreed. "But I'm not _your_ grandfather." He shook his head sadly, looking down at his feet. "I'm from another universe. And so's my TARDIS."

"Grandfather, if that were true for even a moment, then how is the TARDIS still alive?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted. "In my universe, the Time Lords erected a barrier, a wall of sorts, to keep the Time War from spilling out into other realities. I suppose that whatever happened that let me pass through it from my universe to this one, is also letting the TARDIS draw energy from it."

And it was at that moment, that Susan started to believe him. "But... why?"

"Everyone died in the war, Susan. Everyone." The Doctor started tearing up. "Including... Including _you_. Once I got the chance to see you again, even if you weren't strictly the Susan that _I_ knew... It was too good to pass up. I'll admit, I acted a little impulsively. But that doesn't make it okay. I lied to you. I'm not your grandfather. I'm not even sure your real grandfather -or grandmother, confusing that is- knows that she's your grandfather."

"But you are my grandfather." Susan tilted her head. "You may not be from this universe, but that doesn't change it."

"You're not angry? Not even sad?"

"Why would I be?” Susan questioned in response. “You’re still my same old grandfather… And I think, if I were in your spot, I would’ve done the same thing.”

The Doctor chuckled slightly, smiling very slightly. “How’d you get to be so mature?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it had something to do with who raised me?” She suggested sarcastically. “But I do have one question… If you're not the same grandfather that threw himself into the loom, then who is?"

"Crikey, I forgot about that." The Doctor said. He pushed himself up and started typing something on the keyboard integrated into the console.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm linking the TARDIS's databanks to the Normandy's computers. Nothing much, just the Index Files. I'm going to want them on standby, just in case. Right," He clapped his hands together, "Let's get this farce over with."

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard stood at the head of the table in the meeting room, her arms crossed, as who she deemed to be the trustworthy members of the team at the moment, namely Garrus, Jack, Kasumi, and Mordin, gathered around at the sides of the room

"Alright." Shepard prompted, leaning against the table. " _Explain._ "

"Right." The Doctor nodded. "The first thing that you should know, is that I am from a different universe. Coexisting on the same dimensional plane, but out of phase with this one. My people, the Time Lords of Gallifrey, were working on a way of perfecting a way to travel through both space and time, called a TARDIS...”

“I already knew that.” Shepard stated, stiffening. “When I first entered, I recognized it… I don’t know how, but I did.”

“I’ll get to that, don’t worry.” The Doctor nodded as he continued. “Anyhow, three Gallifreyans came together to work on the project. One, named Rassilon, worked on the legal ramifications of such a device. He wrote the first Laws of Time in order to prevent misuse of the technology. The second was a man known on Omega, he worked on the power source of the technology, which itself caused our evolution from mere Gallifreyans into proper Time Lords. The last… He worked on everything else. The means of making the technology move, make it bigger on the inside than out, and so much more… He was known only as the Other.”

Shepard frowned, looking blankly at the table. “I… I remember this… Rassilon, he was a slightly imposing man with muttonchops, right? And Omega was the bookish one.”

“That’s right.” The Doctor nodded pridefully.

“But the Other…” Shepard frowned. “I don’t recognize that one.” Shepard shook her head. “Anyway, I fail to see how this fits in.”

“I’m getting there.” The Doctor replied. “Tell you what, if you know that, do you know about the scientist Tecteun?”

Shepard’s head shot back up to look at the Doctor. “I recognize that name… In my past few dreams, she seems to be a recurring mention…”

“Right, right.” The Doctor nodded. “But what do you _know?”_

“She…” Shepard frowned, trying to focus. “She stole a baby. She… experimented on it. Tortured it.” The other trustworthy team members looked to Shepard in horror. “She was trying to… trying to…” Shepard stuttered, wracking her mind.

“That child had a very special gift.” The Doctor continued gently, still loud enough for the rest to hear him. “See… the people on Gallifrey have the ability to regenerate. We bring ourselves back from the brink of death… at the cost of total reinvention of ourselves.” The Doctor explained. “But the process isn’t perfect… our DNA can only handle the stress so many times before it completely unravels, and we die for the final time after the thirteenth regeneration.”

“Right… right…” Shepard nodded in understanding, as though the concept were familiar to her, though she still couldn’t fathom why.

“But the child was different.” The Doctor continued, biting his lip. “Tecteun subjected the child to thirteen regenerations, and on the thirteenth… It successfully regenerated again. A Gallifreyan that could regenerate past the limit of thirteen…” The Doctor sighed. “She made one of the greatest discoveries of our time… but it came at too high a cost.”

Jack huffed. “It’s the same old shit everywhere.”

“Language.” The Doctor chided. “Shepard,” The Doctor turned to her, “The Other took in that child, and he began to raise her as if she was his own… Do you remember the name she was given?”

“I… do.” Shepard breathed. “Arkyitor… It means ‘Rose.’”

Susan inhaled in surprise, covering her mouth in shock as she stared at Shepard.

“Shepard,” The Doctor stepped to the side, allowing Shepard and Susan to get good looks at each other. “I’d like to properly reintroduce you to Tecteun’s ‘Timeless Child…’ Arkyitor.” He gestured to Susan. “Your granddaughter.”

Shepard’s mouth parted in shock, as she slowly walked over to Susan, getting a good look at the younger woman’s face.

"Anyway,” The Doctor continued, even as Shepard looked Susan up and down in shock. “Things… Got a bit too dangerous on Gallifrey for the Other and Susan, so he… He made a decision. He found the prime redistributor of the Loom network and jumped into it. He was broken down, unraveled… but before he went, he left one final message for his child.”

“One day, I shall come back…” Shepard murmured, as she rubbed Susan’s face. "I remember. Clear as day. How can I remember something that's never happened to me?"

"It did happen to you, Shepard.” The Doctor replied. “A long, long time ago, on a planet far away from here… The Other threw himself into the Loom, his body was broken down… but his essence persisted. Trapped, waiting… waiting to be reborn.” The Doctor placed a steadying hand on Shepard’s shoulder. “And one night, some… thirty years ago from your point of view… One Loom reactivated, and the Other’s essence found its way into a newborn baby… You.”

“Me?” Shepard recoiled. “No, no, that’s… insane!”

“Is it?” The Doctor questioned in response. “You’ve met a time traveler with a time machine that’s bigger on the inside. And even if you hadn’t, you’re battling against eldritch beings from dark space. It’s not that insane.”

“No, but… I’m me! I’m Shepard!”

“Yes, you are!” The Doctor replied. “The Other’s essence, all it can do is give you his memories. It can’t make you brave, or swift, or strong… All that’s you.” The Time Lord smiled. “No one else.”

“And…” Shepard swallowed, stepping back from the Doctor and Susan. “I’m… not human?”

The Doctor glanced away from the Commander for a moment. “Do you still have your fob watch?”

“My… fob watch?” Shepard questioned. “How did you know about it? I don’t show it to anyone.”

“I’m a very good detective.” The Doctor replied. “But, do you have it?”

Shepard looked warily at the others in the room, before she sighed, reaching into her pocket, and pulling out a small gold fob watch without the chain. The watch was a striking gold color, with ornate circular writings engraved on the surface.

“I take it everywhere with me.” Shepard looked down at it. “Even into battle, as stupid as it sounds, but… It feels… It feels _wrong_ to get too far away from it.”

“See that?” The Doctor gently pointed to the writings on the cover. “Gallifreyan… the language of my people.”

Shepard turned to the Doctor, shocked. “My watch is _alien?”_

“Yes.” The Doctor nodded. The Doctor looked down at it, drawing Shepard’s attention to it as well. “Have you tried opening it?”

Shepard frowned. “Why would I?” She questioned.

“Why wouldn’t you?” The Doctor asked in response.

“Well…” Shepard lost herself for a moment. “Because it’s broken.”

“And how do you know that?” The Doctor prompted. “If you’ve never tried to open it?”

Shepard looked down at the watch in a slight mix of confusion and fear, as things began to break apart. “…What is this?”

“It’s a part of you.” The Doctor answered. “One that’s been locked away for far, far too long.”

“What do I…” Shepard trailed off, looking down at the device.

“Open it.” The Doctor gently instructed.

Shepard stared down at the watch momentarily, before pressing the button on the top, the cover springing open in response.

Shepard’s eyes widened, and she stared into the watch’s face, as a golden stream of particles emanated outward, going into her eyes, the particles stop, and the watch closed by itself, as Shepard inhaled, staring down at it in shock. "What… what was that?”

“Your birthright.” The Doctor answered, as he began to scan her with a sonic screwdriver. “…You no longer read as human.

“No longer human?” Shepard repeated incredulously. “What?”

“It’s called a Chameleon Arch.” The Doctor explained softly. “It’s used to mask our biology for blending in with primitive cultures. But there are those out there who have used them to hide away for safety. If I had to guess… Whoever left you on the beach didn’t want to fully take away everything that made you Gallifreyan, but also didn’t want the locals to realize something was wrong, thus…”

Shepard looked like she was about to faint. "I'll be in my cabin.” She shot off quickly, before sprinting out of the room.

**_**DW**_ **

"Come in." Shepard called, more than a bit unenthusiastically as she sat down on the couch.

The door slid open, and the Doctor entered. "Listen, uhh..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. About earlier. It's… a lot to spring on a person. I know."

"Susan made you come up here, didn't she?" Shepard asked in response.

"Yeah…” The Doctor replied with a sigh. “She’s kind of angry with me right now… She didn’t know about the whole Timeless Child business, but… I had to jog your memory somehow. How are you taking it?"

"…I’m fine.” Shepard replied, her tone implying she was anything but.

“Are you sure about that?” The Doctor asked rhetorically, sitting down next to her.

“It’s just…” Shepard shook her head frustratedly. “For the longest time, I’ve had questions about where I came from… But now that I know the answers… I don’t like it.”

“Hey, hey,” The Doctor steadied her. “This doesn’t change who you are. You’re still the same woman who faced down a Reaper and Saren, just… more so.” The Doctor looked up, as he considered something. “You know… a lot of this may just be uncertainty because you don’t have _all_ the answers.”

“So… How do you suggest we fix that?” Shepard inquired in response.

“Simple.” The Doctor replied. “We go back to where it all began.”

“And that is…?”

“Gallifrey.”


	19. The Shining World of the Seven Systems

A middle-aged blonde man in ornate armor walked quickly through the halls of the Capitol. He entered a small room, with a table in the center, with holographic projections above it.

"Commander Maxil." The General looking over the holograms saluted.

"Skip the pleasantries." Maxil responded seriously. "As I understand it, there's been a breach in the transduction barrier."

The General activated something on the table, and the hologram switched to a projection of Gallifrey, a blue bubble surrounding the planet. The General focused the hologram on one particular area of the bubble, with a small section of it highlighted in red.

"The breach?" Maxil assumed.

"Yes. Whatever broke through the barrier is of Time Lord origin." The General said. "Otherwise, it wouldn't have made it into the system in the first place."

Maxil stroked his chin, deep in thought. "No one has left Gallifrey since Morbius was in office. So, who could it possibly be?"

**_**DW**_ **

The TARDIS shook and spluttered, the console sparking as it flew through the vortex.

"What the hell's happening!?" Shepard demanded as she and the others were wildly thrown about the console room.

"We've hit the transduction barrier!" The Doctor explained, as he tried to steady the TARDIS. "Think of a really strong bubble -well, it's nothing like that, but if it helps, think of a bubble- surrounding the planet that only lets certain things through, like the TARDIS!" He shouted over the alarms that were blaring. "The problem is, the barrier recognizes the TARDIS as authorized, but the TARDIS doesn't recognize the barrier. She thinks she's in danger, so she's trying to avoid it!"

"What if we shut down her engines?" Susan suggested.

"What good would that do?" The Doctor responded.

"We'd keep our forward momentum, and drift harmlessly through the barrier."

"Don't be silly, that would never... Susan, you're brilliant!" The Doctor shouted, as he started typing something into the keypad on the console at lightning-fast speed. "And..." He flicked a switch and threw a lever, and instantly, the TARDIS calmed. The alarms cut off, the ship stopped shaking, and the console stopped sparking. "There we go! Oh..." He said, as the room started heating up. "We should all probably hold on to something."

"What's happening _now_!?" Shepard shouted, as she tightened her grip on the railing.

"Oh, you know... I disabled the exterior anti-gravity, so now, we're plummeting to the planet below." He sheepishly admitted. The console room violently shook again, rocking everyone inside. "And now, we've hit the upper atmosphere." He pulled a monitor around to face him, and he gripped tightly onto the console. The monitor displayed a diagram of Gallifrey's atmosphere, divided into sections. The TARDIS had hit the uppermost part, but was plummeting at breakneck speeds through it, to the ground below.

The console room started to cool as the uppermost section grayed, and the one below highlighted. "We're in the lower atmosphere! Hold on tight!" The Doctor shouted.

The TARDIS hit the ground, and everyone inside was thrown to the floor from the force of the impact.

"Ugh..." Shepard groaned. "Are both of you alright?"

"Yeah, fine, I'm just..." The Doctor responded, winded. "Susan?"

"Alright." She said, standing up and cracking her neck. "Ow, that's going to hurt later. Where did we land?"

"On Gallifrey." The Doctor unhelpfully responded, as he and Shepard got up. He limped over to the console and checked one of the gauges on it. "Outer plasmic shell integrity is at seventy-five percent. We should be safe."

"Doc, remind me never to get in a car with you." Shepard said, clutching her sides.

"I'd imagined you'd say that." The Doctor responded, looking at a different scanner on the console. "Hmm... There are definitely Time Lords here. Lots and lots of Time Lords."

"But where are we?" Susan asked. "What city?"

"Well, according to my handy-dandy map system..." The Doctor peered into the oval-shaped screen sat into the console. "We're near the Capitol, on a beach about ten or so miles away." He walked over to the railing, pulled his jacket off, and put it on. He walked over to the door, gingerly pulled it open, and stepped out, as the others followed.

Gallifrey was beautiful. Simply beautiful. Copper colored waves crashed against deep orange sand. Overhead, the sky was a radiant burnt orange, and the two suns lingered overhead, shining brighter than Earth's sun could ever hope to be.

Shepard was pulled out of her observations by the Doctor, who pulled her and Susan along with him as he strolled into a grassier area.

The grass was a deep scarlet, and the trees in the distance had leaves that seemed to be made of silver. As they walked, the three passed through a meadow containing flowers of every color of the rainbow. In the even further distance, two mountains poked up out of the ground, surrounding a large glass sphere shaped almost like a snow globe, in which lied an entire city.

"That is the Capitol." The Doctor told Shepard, seeing her staring intently at it.

"It seems... familiar." Shepard said. "This whole place does."

"Good." The Doctor said.

They walked for an hour, taking the time to look at and savor Gallifrey's majestic scenery as they passed it by. Shepard even saw a flutterwing at one point.

Eventually, they came to the outside of the Capitol, and stood in the shadow of the mighty structure.

"How are we going to get in?" Shepard asked. "I don't see any doors."

"There are transmat stations to transport visitors in and out -though we probably don't want to use that, given that we're unauthorized." The Doctor thought about it for a moment and snapped his fingers as he got an idea. "There are emergency evacuation tunnels that cover the entire interior of the Capitol. If we can crawl into one of those, we can get inside without any sort of pesky security checks. And then one we're in, we can find someone to help with those memories of yours. Let's go."

He led the other two towards the wall of the Capitol, and around it. Eventually, they came to a large sideways rectangular vent, and the Doctor climbed in, pulling up Susan, and then Shepard.

"Don't we have to worry about any security systems?" Shepard questioned.

"Shepard, have I ever told you the story of how I stole the TARDIS?"

"You _stole it!?"_ Susan nearly shouted.

"Yes, but that was a long time ago. The Time Lords are arrogant. They'd never think that anyone would be so bold as to break into their home, so they just don't bother with security in these tunnels. Besides, they're used for evacuations only anyway. Because of that, I could just waltz right in, jump into any TARDIS I chose, and ran."

The three were nearing the end of the tunnel, but the Doctor stopped in his tracks, signaling for the others to stop too.

"What is it?" Shepard asked.

"Shh!" The Doctor said. From outside the tunnel, a deep whirring sound reverberated off the walls. "It can't be..."

"Doctor?"

"Not here, not now!"

"Grandfather, what is it?"

"The evillest creature to have ever existed in all of the cosmos. It's a Dalek."

"Correct." Another Dalek proclaimed, coming up behind the group. "By order of Commander Maxil, you are under arrest!"

"'They don't bother with security' is what you said?" Shepard angrily remarked.

"Yeah, we get it." The Doctor froze, as he realized something. "What'd you just say?" He directed to the Dalek.

"By order of Commander Maxil, you are under arrest!" The Dalek repeated, the lights on the top of its dome lighting up as it did so.

"Well," The Doctor smiled, "This is new."

"You will come with me!" The Dalek ordered, moving forward to force the three out of the corridor.

"So, how do we escape?" Shepard asked the Doctor, whispering in his ear.

"We don't." The Time Lord answered.

"What do you mean? It's just a pepper pot with an egg whisk and plunger for arms! It can't do anything!"

"Shepard, a single Dalek can destroy an entire city." The Doctor outlined. "If we try to run, we'll be dead before we can even get a foot away."

"Then what do we do?"

"For now, we follow their orders."

**_**DW**_ **

"Commander Maxil." A Dalek with black casing addressed, entering the room.

"Dalek Prime." Maxil returned. "I assume you have found the one responsible for the breach?"

"Correct. Three unidentified intruders were apprehended in the lower levels." Prime reported. "Their TARDIS has also been recovered."

"Have they been identified?" Maxil inquired.

"Yes. The youngest and oldest intruders correspond to the missing Theta Sigma."

"That's just what I need." Maxil frowned. "A First Law breaker." Maxil shook his head. "And the third intruder?"

"DNA corresponds to ancient records. Records identify her as 'Arkyitor', granddaughter of the Other."

"The Other?" Maxil repeated in surprise. "So, those damned cultists were right. He did exist." Maxil thought about the issue for a moment. "Have the three of them brought to my office. I have questions for them."

**_**DW**_ **

As the three were being led along by the Dalek, it abruptly stopped.

"I obey!" It suddenly said, as if responding to something. It then turned its dome around to look at the three. "You will remain still."

The Doctor was just about to question why, when he started feeling the air around him electrify. A bright flash of blue light interrupted his thoughts, and the three were transported across the Capitol.

"Greetings." The Dalek behind the teleport terminal said to the three. "I am Dalek Prime. You will follow me."

The Dalek wheeled out of the room, and the three followed it. Prime led them through the sprawling halls of the Capitol, to a door at the end of a long hallway.

"You will enter." Prime ordered.

The doors swished open, and they stepped into the room.

The room was very spartan, with only a simple desk, chair, and terminal being the only things that sat inside the room.

"For eight-hundred years, _no one_ has left Gallifrey. Not even to go to orbit." The man in the chair began, looking out the window. "So imagine my surprise, when not only do I hear that a TARDIS has broken through the barrier and it has successfully landed, but the culprits are the infamous Theta Sigma." He turned the chair around, revealing his face.

"Commander Maxil." The Doctor recognized.

"Infamous?" Shepard questioned.

"The abduction of Theta Sigma is one of Gallifrey's very few unsolved crimes." Maxil started. "At the very end of President Morbius's term in office, just before the Great Retreat, one Time Lord of Lungbarrow house, Irving Braxiatel, just up and vanished, along with the youngest of the house, without any warning whatsoever. The motive? Undetermined, even to this day. Not even the Matrix knows why he did it. Now, that very missing child has returned, and we can get answers, and Braxiatel can finally be put to justice. So," Maxil leaned on his desk, locking his hands together, "Why did he do it?"

"Uh..." The Doctor rubbed his head. "Not too sure about that one. Still working it out myself. But Brax never did _anything_ without a motive. I can, tell you though, that because of his actions, Commander Shepard here has stopped the galaxy from being harvested by giant genocidal machines."

"Commander Shepard?" Maxil repeated in distaste. "That follows the human naming conventions... Don't tell me the two of you _lived_ with those backwater yokels!"

"Backwater yokels!?" Shepard's eyebrows skyrocketed.

"Yeah, uh... A lot of species as a whole sort of see humanity as the hillbillies of space." The Doctor admitted reluctantly. "Sorry."

"You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me." Shepard said, bemused.

"Enough!" Maxil barked. "It's time we got back on topic. You say you don't know why Braxiatel committed the crime?"

"No." They shook their heads.

"Then I suppose I'd better focus my attention on the more pressing issue. The blatant violation of the First Law that you've all committed."

"Oh... That." The Doctor said. "About that, you see... She's not me."

Maxil's eyebrow arched.

"I'm from a parallel universe." The Doctor explained. "If you examine my biodata, then you'll see it for yourself."

Maxil continued to hold his eyebrow in that position, even as he pulled a very complex scanning device out of his desk. He ran the device over the Doctor, then Shepard, the device beeping loudly as it did so.

"Well, it seems you're telling the truth." Maxil frowned. "However, you have still broken through the transduction barrier. A capital offense, for which the only sentence is regeneration."

"You can't!" The Doctor shouted.

"Please, there must be something we can do!" Susan pleaded.

Maxil paused for a moment. "Why did you come to Gallifrey, hm?"

“To get answers.” Shepard answered.

“Then perhaps we can come to an arrangement.” Maxil replied. The Time Lord frowned, pressing a series of buttons on his desk, causing a hologram of a large, vaguely Edwardian yet still holding traces of Gallifreyan architecture, mansion to be projected above the table. “It is rather fortunate you returned to us now, of all times.”

“How so?” The Doctor asked.

“The Kithriarch of the House of Lungbarrow, Quences, has recently passed away.” Maxil explained, causing a hologram of a much older man, with a slight resemblance to the First Doctor, to be projected above the table.

“What’s a… Kithriarch?” Shepard questioned.

Maxil rolled his eyes but humored her. “They are the heads of the Great Houses, responsible for giving all those within each house guidance, and ensuring their social wellbeing.” Maxil waved his hand and continued along the same subject line as before. “Quences’s death has caused, to my understanding, a rather severe crisis of succession. Ordinarily, we would simply choose the next Kithriarch ourselves, but this situation is rather… different.”

“How different?” The Doctor probed.

“The house has been locked down.” Maxil explained. “Anyone who is not a member of the House of Lungbarrow is unable to enter the building.”

“Which is where we come in.” Shepard guessed.

“Precisely.” Maxil nodded. “Your biodata, your very DNA at the basest level, marks you as a member of the House. Those inside will not be able to bar your entry.”

“So what do you want me to do?” Shepard questioned.

“Simple.” Maxil produced a small, circular seal from his desk, and handed it off to the Doctor. “Once you gain access to the house, resolve the crisis of succession by any means necessary?”

The Doctor looked up from the seal with a raised eyebrow. “You’d trust our judgement?”

“I couldn’t care less about your judgement.” Maxil shot back. “My only concern is resolving the crisis before the members of the house rip each other to shreds… As for who is to fill the position, I leave to your discretion.” Maxil clasped his hands together, and leaned forward on his desk, affixing them with a serious look. “Do this… And I will see to it your… bending of Gallifreyan law goes swiftly unnoticed. Besides,” Maxil leaned back, “It could turn out to be a rather beneficial excursion for you.”

Shepard, the Doctor, and Susan all glanced at each other momentarily, before Shepard turned back to Maxil.

“We’ll do it.”


	20. Lungbarrow

Shepard heaved, huffing and puffing as they climbed up the great Mount Lung. Shortly after coming to terms with Maxil’s proposal, the Gallifreyan had the three transported close, but not too close to their destination.

“Why the…” Shepard huffed as she climbed up a small cliff face, being helped up by the Doctor close to the top. “Why the hell did they put us at the bottom of the mountain?” She demanded. “Why not on the doorstep of the damn place?”

“The Time Lords did always have a sick sort of humor.” The Doctor replied, as they continued. “And we’re not even up halfway.”

“But… we’ve been climbing for the past two hours!” Shepard stated. “How tall is this damn mountain?”

“It makes Mount Everest look like peanuts.” The Doctor stated. “But don’t worry, the House shouldn’t be too much farther. It likes its seclusion, but even being at the top of a mountain is too much for it.”

Shepard stopped for a moment, hunching over. “…Would it kill these guys to install a ski lift or something?”

**_**DW**_ **

Before long, they came to an area of the mountain range that looked… cultivated, almost artificial. Indeed, they had reached the outer gardens of the House of Lungbarrow, and there in the distance, looming over the entire area like it was scrutinizing the place, was the house itself. White walls stood out in contrast to the dark rock of the mountain itself, with a green roof caked in grey snow.

Despite the fact that, by outward appearances the house looked welcoming enough, Shepard got an odd sense of foreboding from the place, and even more, it almost hurt her physically to look at it, as though something about it was fundamentally wrong in a way she couldn’t place.

“Do you feel that too?” Shepard asked the Doctor, as he stared up at the building.

“…Yeah.” The Doctor swallowed uncomfortably and turned to Susan. “I need you to stay out here.”

“Why?” Susan questioned, crossing her arms angrily. “Something else I don’t need to know?”

“No,” The Doctor shot back instantly. “You aren’t a part of that house; you won’t be able to enter.” The Doctor sighed and turned to face her completely. “Look, you’re mad I hid it from you, I understand. But this isn’t the time or place to talk about it. Susan, please, just… shack up in one of the barns out here, and wait until we get back, okay?”

Susan sighed, shaking her head slightly. “Very well, grandfather.”

“Thank you.” The Doctor nodded, turning back to Shepard. “Let’s go.”

Shepard swallowed, and followed the Doctor’s lead, as he led her up the ancient, cracked, winding path. A sudden squawk, the trilling of a Gallifreyan Crow, caused Shepard to jump, grabbing onto the Doctor.

Shepard wasn’t a person who was scared easily, but… this whole place was _off_. Almost… corrupted somehow, but she couldn’t place her finger on it.

After a few moments of walking, it began to snow, as they began to come up on the door. Two windows, that looked almost like eyes, were set above the entry door, and the Doctor and Shepard approached, getting out of the snowfall.

“Will Susan be okay?” Shepard questioned, rubbing her exposed arms to heat up.

“So long as she did what I told her to, yes.” The Doctor replied, glancing to the old mahogany-colored doors. “Are you ready? This is my-your- _our_ ancestral home… no telling what we might find in here.”

Shepard took a deep breath and nodded once. “I’m ready.”

The Doctor nodded and reached up to the door knocker, a bronze, glaring cat’s face, with a simple ring in its mouth. The Doctor banged it against the door four times, before letting it drop. The Doctor frowned, when no response of any sort came for some time. The Time Lord knocked again, furrowing his brow.

“Sounds like no one’s home.” Shepard remarked. “Could they have all left?”

“Maybe…” The Doctor narrowed his eyes. “It _would_ explain why none of the other Time Lords can get inside.” He sighed and turned away. “Come on, maybe we can-“

The lock clicked, and the heavy door began to slowly creak open.

“Okay…” The Doctor’s eyebrows shot up. “I guess someone is home.” He turned to Shepard, motioning for her to follow. “Come on.”

Shepard looked to the entry warily one last time, as she followed the Doctor into the darkened foyer.

“It’s dark in here…” Shepard blinked, trying to get her eyes to adjust. The foyer of the House was completely dark, no light sources of any kind present. Even the two windows above the door were too frosted over to allow light in.

Shepard frowned, as she looked in. “Who opened the door?” Indeed, it seemed she and the Doctor were the only ones in the foyer.

“…My guess, the House.” The Doctor replied slowly. “Don’t worry, it should be safe.”

And as she took the full step inside, the door slammed shut behind Shepard, cutting off their last light source.

“Um…” Shepard stuttered fearfully. “Did it just close the door on us?”

The Doctor instantly sprinted back over to the old, heavy doors, trying to jiggle the knob.

“Locked.” The Time Lord sighed. “Whatever’s happening… the House is determined for us to be a part of it.”

“Well…” Shepard swallowed. “Where do we start?”

The Doctor inhaled. “I don’t know… Let’s head to the residential sections.” He said, just as much to himself as to Shepard.

“Great, but what about the lights?” Shepard questioned. “It’s too dark for me to see.”

The Doctor immediately reached into one of his pockets, handing Shepard a blue metal flashlight. He pressed the button on his sonic screwdriver, and the tip lit up in a similar manner, bathing them both in light.

“It’s been quite some time since I last visited this place…” The Doctor murmured. “Or, my version of it, rather… But the layout’s definitely similar enough. This way.” The Doctor guided, leading the way through a double door flanked by two sets of stairs running up to the second floor on both sides.

The door creaked as the Doctor pushed it open, opening out into a dark hallway extending so far into the distance, it simply vanished, with dozens, maybe even hundreds of doors on both sides.

“How big is this place?” Shepard questioned, slightly awestruck. “It didn’t look this big on the outside…”

“Every time a new member of the House is Loomed, a new room is also grown.” The Doctor explained, as the walked down the dark, stuffy carpeted corridor. “But each House isn’t supposed to have more than forty-five members, so all the old rooms get shunted off to storage. This place.” He gestured around, using the beam of light to make a point.

Shepard frowned, slightly confused. “Why don’t they just repurpose the rooms? It’d save space.”

“Space isn’t an issue.” The Doctor retorted, as he made a point to examine each door. “The House, much like the TARDIS, is bigger on the inside. No, they get archived for another reason. This one corridor shows just how far back our family goes, all those who called this place home…”

“So, it’s for posterity.” Shepard picked up.

“A forever-updating monument to the family itself.” The Doctor replied, as he shined the light over another door. “Aha!” The Doctor satisfactorily shouted, as he took in the script on the door. “Irving Braxiatel’s room…” He turned to Shepard, as he grasped the doorknob. “Shall we?”

Shepard grasped onto the Doctor’s shoulder as he pushed the single door open, coming into a large study. Bookcases lined every wall, and a large desk and chair sat in the middle of the room, with an old oil lamp on it. In between two cases was another single door, presumably leading to the actual bedroom.

“Brax’s study…” The Doctor looked around almost reverently. “I was never allowed in here by my own Brax… Said I’d break something.” The Doctor walked over to the desk, lighting the old oil lamp, and soon, the entire place was lowly illuminated by the faint orange glow.

While the Doctor did that, Shepard looked at the contents of the bookshelves, coming to a stop in front of an old picture frame.

An old picture, at least a couple of hundred years judging by the yellowing, sat in the frame. In the picture, there was a slightly older woman, with brown hair. The look on her face was kind as she looked out of the picture, seemingly staring into Shepard’s soul.

Shepard’s eyes narrowed and widened as she recognized the woman in the picture. “Mama…” She breathed, touching the picture.

_Big arms cradled Shepard, bouncing the young baby up and down as the woman carrying her walked away from the Loom._

_“…You’re such a cute little thing, aren’t you?” The woman baby-talked, playing around with the little baby’s hands._

_“Is that the new loomling?” Her brother asked, approaching. “She’s so… teeny.”_

_“That she is.” Her mother laughed. “…I only wish your father were here to see her.”_

_“I’m certain that he’d be quite proud.” Her brother replied. “Still… It is quite odd for the Loom to produce a childe to be so small.”_

_“…She’s perfect the way she is.”_

“Flashback?” The Doctor suddenly questioned, standing next to Shepard.

Shepard shook off her disorientation, staring down at the picture below. “I remember her… She’s my mother. How do I remember something that happened to me when I was a baby?”

“As a general rule, our memory tends to be much better than other species.” The Doctor answered. “There are even some of us that can remember being born.”

“Right…” Shepard looked down at the picture.

“Is there anything else you remember?” The Doctor prompted.

“I… Had cousins… Or were they sisters? Lots and lots of them.”

“Typically, people born via Loom are related laterally to the rest of the house, that means cousins.” The Doctor helpfully explained.

Shepard nodded her understanding. “So does that mean she isn’t my mother either?”

“Maybe not from a biological standpoint.” The Doctor said. “But if she intended to bring you up, then yes she was.” The Time Lord looked around. “I don’t understand… Everything looked to be alright, so why would Brax take you to Earth? Hmm…” The Doctor’s eyes suddenly snapped open. “The oil lamp.”

“What about it?” Shepard frowned.

“Everything else in this house is electric.” The Doctor explained, walking over to the lamp. “So why use an oil lamp when there’s working lights? I have an idea, give me your hand.”

Shepard held it out, and the Doctor, producing a thumbtack, poked the tip of her finger.

“Ow!” Shepard tried to pull her hand back but was stopped by the Doctor.

“Sorry.” The Time Lord apologized. He guided the pricked finger over the open hole of the lamp. Shepard’s blood dripped off her finger, landing in the flame, before a series of engravings on the base of the lamp flashed green, and a panel on the top of the desk opened.

“Heh, figured the lamp was too conspicuous.” The Doctor commented, as he peered into the open cubbyhole.

“What was that?” Shepard demanded, wiping the blood left on her finger away.

“A biodata reader, cleverly disguised as an oil lamp, keyed only to respond to your imprint.” The Doctor explained, pulling out a leather-bound book, about twelve by six inches. “Brax’s journal.” The Doctor told Shepard, as he began to flick through the pages. “Look at all this…” The Doctor breathed, drinking up the passages within like he was a sponge. “Star charts, orbital maps… Brax had been keeping an eye on the Sol System for a long time before he decided to drop you there.”

“But why?” Shepard peered over the Doctor’s shoulder at the book.

“Hmm…” The Doctor frowned, eyes darting back and forth as he read. “Brax was starting to get suspicious of one of the cousins… Glospin. According to this, Brax thought Glospin was going to try and make a play for Kithriarch And then Quences was murdered, Glospin framed Brax, but since Brax didn’t have the evidence to prove it, he had to run away… and he feared that Glospin was going to try and hurt you, so he took you with him.”

“…He saved me.” Shepard stated.

The Doctor nodded his confirmation. “And presumably, the house has been locked down ever since.”

“But… that was decades ago!” Shepard pointed out. “Surely the other Time Lords must’ve known something was wrong.”

“Oh, I’m sure they have.” An older, gravely voice called from the door.

The Doctor and Shepard both whipped around, facing the doorway.

The older Time Lord’s eyes narrowed.

“Glospin.”


	21. Looming Danger

“I was wondering when you’d turn up.” The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets, narrowing his eyes at Glospin as he paced around the room.

Glospin was an older, heavyset man with grey hair, and a face that was constantly leering unpleasantly. Shepard thought that if Alan Rickman was about a hundred pounds heavier, it’d be a good descriptor of the Time Lord.

“When things go wrong in the house of Lungbarrow, there’s a ninety-percent chance Glospin’s attached to it.” The Doctor explained to Shepard, as he approached Glospin.

“Ah!” Glospin warned, pulling out a pistol-like weapon, training it in the Doctor’s direction. “Not another step.”

The Doctor stopped, putting his hands in the air. “How’d you know we were in here?” He questioned.

“I could hear you.” Glospin practically snarled. “You thought you were being so stealthy, didn’t you? Well, I won’t let some Council assassins get the jump on me!”

“Assassins?” The Doctor repeated, the other Time Lord keeping the staser trained on the Doctor the whole time. “Us? No. We’re… long-lost relatives, shall we say?”

Glospin inhaled, recoiling slightly in surprise. “By Omega’s ghost… Theta Sigma?”

“Hello.” The Doctor waggled the fingers on one of his hands.

“Perhaps…” Glospin frowned to himself. “Perhaps this could be just what I need…”

“What are you talking about?” The Doctor questioned.

“The other members of the House are dead.” Glospin stated, as the Doctor moved over to the door. During this, Glospin didn’t notice Shepard slowly creeping up from behind. “Fallen by my own hand…”

“You what!?” The Doctor roared.

“My attempts to use the Loom caused me some… rather severe physical damage.” Glospin continued, undisturbed. “But you… The House is not angry with you… Perhaps the Loom will accept your sample.”

“I won’t do it.” The Doctor immediately resolved. “You’d bring our entire lineage to ruin, I won’t let that happen.”

“Then I have no use for you, or your friend.” Glospin spat. “You’ll die.”

“Wanna bet!?” Shepard pulled Glospin around, clocking the man right across the face.

“Nice shot!” The Doctor complimented, as Glospin fell. “I completely disapprove! Come on!” He grabbed onto Shepard’s hand, and running out into the hallway.

The Doctor pulled Shepard back to the Foyer, running over to the entrance door. Shaking the knobs, trying to pull the door open, it still didn’t budge.

“Damn.” The Doctor cursed, banging a fist on the wood. “It’s not going to let us out. Not until we deal with Glospin.”

“Well…” Shepard scrambled. “How!? He’s got a gun, we don’t!”

“…We don’t need a gun.” The Doctor realized. The Time Lord turned around, as the doors swung open, Glospin entering the foyer with blood dripping from the corner of his lips, and a furious look on his face.

“Don’t shoot.” The Doctor pleaded, putting up his hands. “We’ll do what you say.”

Glospin grinned, a most ugly grin. “Excellent. Move.” He directed, gesturing up the stairs.

With Glospin guiding them from behind, the Doctor and Shepard were led through the long, winding corridors of Lungbarrow, a house far, far too large for one man.

After a good thirty minutes of walking, they came to a hexagonal room, shaped rather like an auditorium, with a rectangular tub in the center of the room.

As they walked closer and closer to the tank, being pushed forward by Glospin, more flashes of memories intruded into Shepard’s mind.

_A child, having been waiting to be born for countless millions of years, screaming as she is finally pulled from the glowing water. It should be an occasion for all to rejoice, yet there is only confusion, at the tiny form far smaller than any other childe._

“Now.” Glospin pressed the barrel into the Doctor’s back. “Place your hand in the tissue extractor.”

“Glospin,” The Doctor turned around to face the other Time Lord. “They know what you’ve done. You might be able to Loom new childrene, but the Time Lords will come for you.”

“Let them come,” Glospin retorted. “I’d like to see them fight through all the members of this house. Now, activate it.” Glospin ordered, shoving the Doctor over to the sample receptacle.

The Doctor glared one last time at Glospin, as he shoved his hand into the circular receptacle. It clamped around the Doctor’s wrist, locking him in place, as the water began to glow. Glospin walked over to the foot of the tank, mesmerized as the process began.

The Doctor glanced over at Shepard and nodded. Shepard, giving no warning, suddenly charged Glospin, ramming him in his back, pushing him into the Loom.

“Ahh!” Glospin began to kick and scream, splashing everywhere as the water began to burn at his skin. The Time Lord’s own pain-induced spasms were his downfall, as when he grabbed onto one of the tank walls to pull himself out, a spasm caused Glospin to lose his grip, falling back down into the tank.

“Theta…” Glospin pleaded, reaching out. “Help me!”

“I’m sorry, Glospin.” The Doctor replied, as the machine released him. “But this way… part of you would survive.”

Glospin, a look of betrayed defeat on his face, fell back into the tank, seemingly melting away into nothing, as the light died down.

“What…” Shepard looked at the tank in shock and horror, faintly feeling some idea of what the man had just experienced. “What happened to him?”

“It’s an automatic protocol.” The Doctor explained, looking at the tank. “He got caught in the weft, the Loom detected the blockage… and removed it.”

“That was…” Shepard heaved. “That was cold.”

“…Yeah.” The Doctor agreed somewhat sadly. “But even if we got with him to come with us alive… Time Lord punishments aren’t particularly kind. In some ways… what we did was much more humane than what they would’ve done to him.”

“…My last surviving family… dead.” Shepard stated, looking to the Loom. “What happens now?” She questioned.

“Now…” The Doctor turned back to her. “The House got the justice it sought.” As if in confirmation, the lights in the place slowly flickered on, illuminating the way out. “...Come on.” The Doctor gently grasped onto Shepard’s hand, leading her out. “I think… It’s long past time for the House itself to get some rest as well.”

“Right…” Shepard absently nodded, as they proceeded back to the Foyer, seemingly much closer than how it was before. “What about my… brother? Braxiatel?”

“He could still be out there.” The Doctor answered, as they came to the entrance door. “He used the Chameleon Arch to make you read as human… it’s not out of the question he made himself fully human and is hiding somewhere.”

“That’s possible?” Shepard questioned.

“…I’ve done it myself, once.” The Doctor answered, as he pulled the door open, out into the snowy gardens of the estate. “See… All it wanted was Glospin.”

Shepard shot one last look back deeper into the house, before turning to the warmth of the outside. “Come on… I think I’ve gotten all the answers we’re going to get from this place.”

The Doctor nodded, and took her hand in his, leading Shepard outside, as the door closed behind them of their own accord.

And for the last time, Lungbarrow fell silent.

**_**DW**_ **

“…I see.” Maxil remarked, as Shepard and the Doctor finished relaying their accounts of what happened in Lungbarrow, Susan sitting there in silence. “Well, I must say, you handled the situation as admirably as one could expect for someone in your position. I was rather hoping you would be able to bring Glospin back alive, but I won’t lose sleep over it.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows furrowed, as he stared down Maxil. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“Of course I knew.” Maxil instantly shot back. “But had I told you the objective of this mission was assassination, you’d have refused. I needed a willing participant that could enter Lungbarrow, and you were the only ones that fit that criteria.”

“So you used us as puppets.” Shepard shook her head.

“As long as you obtained what you sought by the end of it, what does it matter?” Maxil retorted. “If it’s any consolation, I fully expected you two to survive.”

“But why send us in at all?” Shepard demanded. “Why not just bomb the place from orbit and be done with it?”

“A Great House isn’t merely a building that people inhabit,” Maxil retorted. “They are complex space-time events, waves of fundamental force imposing their will upon the timeline. To lose the members of the house is regrettable, to lose the House itself… a tragedy. Glospin’s death was unfortunate, yes, but ultimately, it left the house intact, and that is what is important.”

“So in that case, can we go?” The Doctor questioned.

“…You’ve upheld your end of our arrangement, so I see no reason why it shall not be.” Maxil snapped his fingers, and a team of guards came in. “Escort these three back to their TARDIS.”

“Yes, Commander.” The lead Guard saluted, as the three got up from their seats. The guards motioned towards the door, and the three proceeded towards it.

“And Doctor,” Maxil called as they departed. “No matter what you think of my methods, you’ve done a great service to the people of Gallifrey, do not mistake that.”

“…Yeah.” The Doctor replied simply, as they were led out of Maxil’s office.

**_**DW**_ **

Maxil, fortunately enough for the three, had taken the initiative to have the TARDIS moved to the Panopticon, so the journey back to the TARDIS wasn’t nearly as long as the journey to the Capitol when they first arrived.

The wooden doors creaked shut behind the three, as the Doctor went over to set the controls.

“So, back to the Normandy?” The Doctor asked as he played around with the levers, switches, and buttons.

“Yeah.” Shepard nodded. “Today was…” She shook her head, unable to find a word to adequately describe it. “Weird.”

“Good weird, or bad weird?” Susan piped up from the console.

“…The jury’s still out on that.”

“Right, so!” The Doctor threw the TARDIS into motion. “Did you find the answers you were looking for?” He inquired, as the time rotor rose and fell.

“I think so.” Shepard said after a moment’s paused. “But there are some I’m still wondering about.”

“Well, questions give us a reason to look for answers, a reason to move forward.” The Doctor replied, as the TARDIS settled. “Right-o, the Normandy.”

“Right.” Shepard nodded. “I’d better get out there. The crew’s going to have questions of their own. And Doctor? Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” He returned, as Shepard moved to the doors.

The Commander opened the door, popping her head out, and stopping in her tracks.

“Something wrong?” The Doctor frowned.

“This isn’t the Normandy.”


	22. The Justicar

"This isn't the Normandy." Shepard noted, looking out at the massive Asari city in front of her. "Does this happen on a regular basis?"

"Not... really?" The Doctor lied, moving towards the scanner. "According to the map, we're on Ilium, an Asari colony. Don't worry, I'll have us back on board the Normandy in to time."

"Wait." Shepard interrupted the Doctor's movements. "The next two people I'm supposed to recruit are here on Ilium."

"Well, I suppose that saves us a bit of time." The Doctor conceded. "So, if you're wanting to recruit them, who do you want to go for first?"

"We should go for Samara first." Shepard replied. "I get the feeling that we won't be needing an assassin for the moment."

"Right." The Doctor nodded, throwing on his coat. "You should... suit up? I think that's the term. I hope it is. I don't keep guns aboard, you understand, but there should be some suits of armor hidden in the back of one of the storerooms."

Shepard nodded, and went off to go find what she was looking for. Moments later, she came back, wearing a hardsuit very similar in appearance to the armor that stereotypical knights wore.

"Why do you have one of these?" Shepard wondered, looking at the gauntlets on the armor.

"I borrowed it." Was all he said. "Susan!" He shouted into one of the corridors. "Shepard and I are going out, you're in charge of the TARDIS while we're gone. No joyrides!"

"Got it, grandfather!" Susan shouted back. "You two have fun on your date!"

The Doctor did a double-take. "Th-that is just wrong on so many levels!" He then sighed, and turned to Shepard. "Well then, let's be off." The Doctor said, opening the door, and stepping out. "Any idea where we are?" He inquired, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"No idea." Shepard truthfully replied. "I don't make it a habit to travel to planets that legally condone slavery. Or as they would call it 'indentured servitude.'"

"'A rose by any other name smells the same.'" The Doctor agreed, using as quote that shouldn't have fit the situation.

"Did you just quote who I thought you did?" Shepard questioned.

"I quote lots of people." The Doctor retorted, as he and Shepard walked along.

"But Shakespeare?"

"Who d'you think came up with that one in the first place?" The Doctor responded, with a slight twinkle in his eye.

"No... You're shitting me!"

"I most certainly am not! Poor old chap came down with a case of the flu, so I had to finish some of his stuff for him while he got better."

Shepard just scoffed in disbelief as a response. "Any other famous authors you filled in for?"

"Well, I gave Jules the inspiration for writing Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Then there was that business with Agatha Christie that bled into some of her works, but then again, that wasn't really filling in per say... After that I met Douglas Adams. Splendid fella, that one. Gave him the inspiration for Dirk Gently. Then I had to write out about a quarter of the Declaration of Independence. And don't even get me started on Sherlock Holmes."

"You're not serious."

"As serious as spoiled custard and rotten fish-fingers... Okay, I wouldn't go that far." After shaking his head at his last statement, something caught the Time Lord's eyes. "A police station... Perhaps they have some idea where we can find Samara?"

"Good eye." Shepard complimented, leading the way into the police station, as the Doctor followed with a look of pride on his face.

The two passed through the entrance, and walked up to the Asari detective at her desk.

"Commander Shepard." The Asari addressed, recognizing Shepard. "Welcome to my district, I'm detective Anaya. What can I do for you?"

"We're looking for a Justicar named Samara." Shepard truthfully answered.

"If you've got a score to settle with Samara, take it somewhere else." The detective sternly replied. "I've got more than enough trouble already."

"All I need to do I ask for her help with something, and then we'll be on our way." She outlined, gesturing to herself and the Doctor.

"Justicars usually work alone, but they they tend to be drawn to impossible causes." Detective Anaya stated.

"Well, I suppose that's step one complete." The Doctor piped up.

"If you want to get her out of my district, I'll get you to her ASAP." Anaya offered. "She's at the crime scene. It's outside and on the right of the station."

"You seem awfully anxious to get her out of here." Shepard noted.

"My bosses want me to detain her. They're afraid she'll cause a cross-species incident. But that code of hers won't let her be taken into custody. If I try it, she'll have to kill me." She explained. "I have no interest in dying, so if you lure her away with some big noble cause before I have to carry out my orders, I'll be glad to help you."

"Then I suppose we'd better get this done before you have to take her in." Shepard said, moving to the door.

"Hold on." The detective said, stopping Shepard in her tracks. "That crime scene's Eclipse territory. They'll slaughter you if you don't have a gun." She approached the weapons locker sitting in the corner of the station, and pulled an Eviscerator shotgun out of it. She approached Shepard, and handed it to the Commander. "It's the only one I can spare, so don't lose it. Good luck."

Shepard nodded, and she and the Doctor left the station, heading around the corner, through the police line, and into the alley. There were three mercs clustered together, talking amongst each other.

Shepard activated her omni-tool, and fired an incineration blast down the alley, setting one of the mercs alight. The other two frantically scrambled to take Shepard out, only to be stopped by their guns not firing.

"Now," The Doctor began, lowering his sonic screwdriver, "you two can try to fight my associate here, and be killed. Or you can run, and live to see another day. What do you say, eh? No hard feelings?"

The two mercs looked at each other, nodded, and readied their omni-blades, charging at Shepard.

But that proved to be especially stupid, because as soon as they got within range, Shepard unleashed the full power of the shotgun at them, shredding into them, and leaving them dead on the floor.

The Doctor shook his head, simply saying nothing as he gingerly stepped over the bodies, and followed Shepard through the door at the end of the alley.

As the two went through, an Asari Eclipse member slammed into the wall next to them, falling to the floor in a heap.

Further in the room, Samara herself was facing off against another Asari as she glowed with blue Biotic energy.

"Those were my best troops!" The Eclipse merc said, shaking with fear.

"Tell me what I need to know, and I will be long gone from here. Where did you send her?" Samara demanded, her voice cold and unfeeling.

"You think I'd betray her?" The other Asari asked, holding an incredulous tone. "She'd hurt me in ways you couldn't imagine!"

"The name of the ship." Samara repeated. "Your life hangs on the answer, Lieutenant."

"You can kill me, but one of us will take you down, Justicar." The other Asari vowed. She leveled her weapon, and moved to shoot, but was instantly stopped by being lifted into the air by Samara's biotics, and she was thrown through a pane of glass, to the level below.

Samara jumped down after her, slowing her descent as she did so, and the Justicar approached the Lieutenant. The other Asari scrambled to get away, but Samara was faster.

The Justicar put her foot on the merc's neck. "What was the name of the ship she left on?" Samara asked for the final time.

"Go to hell." The other Asari grunted.

Samara stayed silent for a moment. "Find peace in the embrace of the goddess." She said, before twisting her foot, and with it, the merc's neck.

Looking up from the now-dead Eclipse Lieutenant, Samara spotted the Doctor and Shepard approaching her. "My name is Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. My quarrel is with these Eclipse sisters, but you are well-armed." She directed to Shepard. "Are we friend? Or foe?"

"Friend." The Doctor hastily nodded. "Definitely friend."

"That merc was wounded and helpless. Do you just kill anyone who won't help you?" Shepard accused.

"If my cause is important enough, yes." Samara calmly responded. "Are you different?"

"I've killed people," Shepard shamelessly admitted, "but always with good reason."

"I answer to a code that is clearly define. If my actions are true to that code, I am just. If they are not, I am unjust." Samara explained. "I don't pretend it is a simple matter, or that it seems right to everyone, but I sleep well at night, and that is more than most can say. How may I be of service to you?"

"I'm going up against suicidal odds, and I need the best-that's you." Shepard truthfully answered.

"I sense the truth in what you say, and it humbles me. But I seek an incredibly a dangerous fugitive. I cornered her here, but the Eclipse smuggled her off-world. I must find the name of the ship she left on before the trail goes cold." Samara explained.

"I wish you were willing to go with Shepard, Justicar." Detective Anaya said from nowhere, approaching the group. "I've been ordered to take you into custody if you won't leave."

"You risk a great deal by following your orders, Detective. Fortunately, I will not have to resist. My code obligates me to cooperate with you for one day. After that, I must return to my investigation."

The detective shook her head. "I won't be able to release you that soon."

"You will not be able to stop me." That didn't sound like Samara was making a threat. It sounded like a promise.

"Um, excuse me, if I may." The Doctor interjected, waving his hands about awkwardly. "It sounds like you want her to leave, detective, but her code won't let her until she gets what she wants. But she can't get what she wants if she's in your custody. And you can't release her to get what she wants because that's be disobeying your superiors, right?"

"That's right. What are you suggesting?"

"Well, if Shepard and I were to go get what Samara wants, and bring it back, she'd have no reason to stay, and you'd have no reason to keep her, and we can go our separate ways without one of us dying."

"That is reasonable." Samara nodded. "You should begin by speaking to Pitne For, a Volus merchant. He used to associate with the Eclipse, but now they are planning to kill him. If you speak to him, get the truth out of him, he may know a way into the Eclipse base."

"Well, I've got to get back to the station. And I guess I've got to take you with me." Detective Anaya said with a distinct tone of discomfort as she approached Samara.

Samara nodded, and followed the Detective out of the room.

The Doctor and Shepard followed them out, but headed back to the large area in front of the police station, where a Volus, presumably Pitne For, was standing around, looking perturbed.

"Hello, Earth-clan." The merchant greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"The Eclipse are after you." Shepard began. "I want to know why."

"I know nothing of any mercenaries, Earth-clan." For denied. "I am merely an innocent merchant, trying to make his way in life."

"The Eclipse are out for your blood; I need help to break into their base." Shepard said, getting closer. "Shouldn't we work together?"

Pitne sighed. "Yes. I suppose you are correct, Earth-clan. Let's talk. I smuggled a chemical onto Ilium that boosts biotic power in combat."

"I don't see why they would kill you over that." Shepard interrupted.

"They would not... but the chemical is extremely toxic. I may have -erm- forgotten to mention that to the Eclipse, so now they are furious, and want my blood."

"Well, tell you what: Ill cut you a deal. You get me into the Eclipse base, and I'll get them to stop going after you." Shepard very calmly outlined.

"Into their base!?" The Volus was not as calm. "Why would you want to go in there!?"

"Does that really matter? You want to get the Eclipse off of you, and all I want is to get into their base. Trust me, this is the best deal you can get given the situation."

"...Very well." The Volus conceded. "I did have a passcard to get inside. Well, they took that when they found me out. But I did happen to make a copy. Take it. But be careful, every Eclipse sister commits murder to earn her uniform-no exceptions."

"Thanks for the tip." Shepard said, taking the keycard, before leaving and pulling along the Doctor. The two walked to the back of the police station, and into the waiting elevator. The door slid open, and the two stepped in. "I hope this all goes alright." Shepard suddenly said, as the elevator moved up the shaft. "I don't usually do the whole 'one-man army' thing."

"We'll be fine." The Doctor responded, as the elevator slowed to a halt.

The door opened, and Shepard instantly spotted a mech waiting for them. She reacted immediately and fired at its head, talking it clean off, and causing the mech to shut down. She crouched down, pulled the pistol from its broken chassis, and got one one side of the door. The Doctor got on the other side, and the door slid open, allowing access into a large room, filled with more Eclipse and canisters of the toxic compound that was smuggled in.

Shepard peeked around the corner and fired three shots at the head of the closest Eclipse merc. The first two ripped through her shields, the last one ripped through her head, scattering blood everywhere, and causing the merc to die instantly.

The Doctor, meanwhile, was aiming the sonic screwdriver at the toxic canisters, and pressing the activator down, causing the canisters to explode and scatter their contents all over the Eclipse. While this may have caused their biotic powers to increase in strength, the Eclipse started breathing the chemicals in, and started choking to death. The Doctor grimaced as they all started falling to the floor, dead.

"Now how are we going to get through?" Shepard asked. "That's the only way, and we'll choke trying to go through."

The Doctor turned to Shepard, fixing her with a look of amusement, like he knew something she didn't. "Respiratory bypass. Comes in handy in situations like these. Just take a really deep breath, and hold it." He instructed, doing so himself.

Shepard followed the Doctor's example, and the two ran through the cloud of chemicals, into a safe area. The Doctor pressed the door control, and it sealed behind them, allowing them to breathe. "Ah, the perks of being a Time Lord." The Doctor smiled to himself. Then, he stopped as he heard something. "You hear that?"

"Sounds like someone wallowing around in fear." Shepard answered, heading towards the source. They opened another door, this time with an Eclipse merc hiding behind it, cowering behind a desk. "Get up." Shepard ordered, leveling her shotgun in the Asari’s direction.

"Wait, stop! I didn't fire my gun once! I pretended to because the others were watching, but I didn't really shoot!" The Asari scrambled to say. “I’m not one of them! I’m new! I thought being Elnora the mercenary would be cool… but I didn’t know what they were really like.”

Shepard’s face twisted in anger, falling back on the words Pitne For had spoken earlier.

“Don’t lie to me.” Shepard snarled, pumping her shotgun. “You already chose your side, Elnora. And you lost.”

“Screw that!” Elnora shot back, drawing her own gun. “And screw you!”

Elnora shot once, the bullet bouncing harmlessly off Shepard’s barrier. In response, Shepard got close, and let a rip on the shotgun, Elnora falling to the ground a bloodied mess.

“What the hell was that for!?” The Doctor demanded, looking down at the body. “You could’ve reasoned with her!”

“I know you heard Pitne.” Shepard scowled back at the Doctor. “She had the uniform, that means she’s already killed. And then she tried to _lie_ to me about it.”

“Still,” The Doctor argued, glancing back at Elnora’s body. “You could’ve talked her down! Got her to turn herself in!”

“Oh yeah?” Shepard shot back. “Like we could have talked down Glospin?”

The Doctor recoiled back slightly. “That was completely different.”

“I don’t care if you’re a hypocrite, Doctor.” Shepard said, as she began to walk back out of the room. “Just do it in your own time, not mine.”

The Doctor shook his head, grumbling, as he nonetheless followed Shepard, the woman taking the lead up a flight of stairs, to another area crawling with Eclipse.

Once more, Shepard used her gun to take out the mercenaries blocking their path, while the Doctor used the sonic to run interference, and the duo proceeded through the base.

They eventually came to a large open area, with the path deeper into the base on the other side of a bridge.

"It seems kind of... empty here, doesn't it?" The Doctor commented as he and Shepard walked across the bridge.

As if in direct response to his comment, a gunship flew up directly in front of them.

"Doctor, into cover!" Shepard shouted, as she dove into cover. The Doctor followed, and now both of them were trapped as the gunship fired on their position.

"Any ideas?" The Time Lord shouted.

"It's not like I can take it out with a pistol!"

The Doctor cursed mildly under his breath and began to look around for something to help. Then, his eyes brightened as he spotted something. "Shepard, over there!"

"I see it!" The Commander responded.

"Right, you go get it while I distract it!"

Shepard nodded, and waited for the Doctor.

The Time Lord hopped up, ran out into the open, and shouted: "Look at me, I'm a target!" And then he resumed running as the gunship tried to fire at him.

Shepard, meanwhile, ran over to a stack of crates, and pulled a rocket launcher out of one of them. While the gunship was occupied, she took aim at its exhaust port, and fired.

The rocket headed right for the large port, and went straight in, exploding and heavily damaging the engine's mechanisms. The gunship smoked and spluttered, and it exploded as the engine began to overheat, scattering small pieces of debris.

"Good... good job." The Doctor congratulated as he caught his breath.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, 's just... outrunning gunfire is a lot harder than it looks."

"Well, catch your breath, and come on. We still have work to do."

The Doctor nodded, did as Shepard instructed, and followed her as she passed through the final door of the base. The door opened into a long hallway, a Volus at the end of it trying to get food out of a vending machine.

"I am a biotic god." The Volus said, turning around. "I think things, and they happen." He continued, glowing with blue energy. "Fear me lesser creatures, for I am biotics made flesh!"

"I think the poor fella is high." The Doctor diagnosed, looking at the Volus slightly repulsed.

Shepard shook her head. "You need help." She frowned at the Volus.

"You need help!" The Volus retorted. "You stand before the mightiest biotic ever! Yes, the Asari injecting so many drugs into me was terrifying. But then I began to smell my greatness!"

Shepard just continued to shake her head.

"They my laugh when I fall over, but they don't know what I know in my head-that I am amazingly powerful!" The Volus huffed. "Fear me!"

"I'd sooner be scared of an ugly asari prostitute." Shepard snarked. "Where did you come fro- wait... did you work for somebody named Pitne For?"

"When I was mortal, I worked for Pitne." The Volus confirmed. "Poor soul is probably terrified that I have not returned."

"He didn't say a thing if I recall." The Doctor stated. "Probably didn't want to wind up stuck here. People like that tend to prefer money to friends."

"Bah! I will wreak a just revenge upon his people! But first... the leader of the mercenaries is in the next room." The Volus said, staring at the door at the end of the intersecting corridor. "I shall toss Wasea about like a ragdoll!"

"Sorry, my friend, but you'd get shot before you made it past the door." The Doctor informed.

"I will tear her apart! My biotics are unstoppable!"

Shepard facepalmed, sighed, and did the next best thing that came to her mind.

She put her foot on the Volus's chest, and gently pushed him to the ground.

"But... biotic god." The Volus mumbled in denial of what just happened. "Great wind... I- I feel tired."

"Go get some rest." Shepard ordered.

"Yes... Yes, I think I'll go and take a nap." He mumbled, stumbling away.

After the Volus was away, Shepard and the Doctor ran down the corridor, and into the office.

The door opened, and in response, the Eclipse leader looked up, scowled, and let loose a torrent of biotic energy, directed at the two.

Shepard tackled the Doctor, pulling him into cover as the wave of energy slammed into the wall with the force of a semi-truck at top speed.

From all sides, enemies were closing in.

The Doctor frantically looked around for something to help out, until he spotted an intercom on the wall. "Cover me!" He shouted, running out of cover and to the speaker. Shepard followed behind, shooting up the mercs that dared to get close.

He pushed the tip of the sonic screwdriver to the intercom's microphone and activated it. Instantly, an ear-piercing screech sounded throughout the room, and caused many of the Eclipse to fall to the floor, significantly thinning their numbers. Then, Shepard proceeded to take out the rest of the mercs, leaving only the Captain.

The Captain herself was surrounded with a barrier, and more heavily armored than her subordinates. Shepard took out the barrier, and then switched to incendiary ammo to burn through the Captain's armor. After that, Shepard took care to aim at the Captain's head, and fired, killing the Asari.

Once the room was cleared, Shepard holstered her pistol, and turned to the Doctor. "If you could do that, why wait until now?"

"It only knocked them out. And I needed a speaker system to do it." The Doctor answered. "But enough about that. Let's find what we're looking for and get out."

Shepard nodded, and moved around to the back of Wasea's desk. Shepard picked up the datapad, and read its contents.

Satisfied that they had what they came for, Shepard and the Doctor began heading back through the base, towards the exit.

**_**DW**_ **

Entering the police station, Samara was sitting on a low barrier, the Justicar’s head shooting up in response to Shepard and the Doctor’s approach.

Shepard approached the Justicar, and began speaking. "I've got the name of the ship. The person you're looking for left two days ago on the AML Demeter."

Samara's eyebrows raised. "Shepard, you impress me. You've fulfilled your end of the bargain, now I will fulfill mine." Samara got up, and turned to Detective Anaya. "I am ready to leave immediately if that will satisfy your superiors, Detective?"

"You're free to go Justicar." Anaya confirmed. "It's been an honor having you in my station. And it's nice you didn't kill me, too."

"I'll send for my ship, and then we can be on our way." Shepard informed Samara.

"Very well. However, I must swear myself to your service, so that I may never have to choose between your orders and the Code." Samara's eyes glowed white, and she kneeled. "By the Code, I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices, your morals are my morals. Your wishes are my code." Her body then pulsed faintly with biotic energy, and she stood back up, the glow in her eyes fading. "If you make me do anything extremely dishonorable, I may need to kill you when I am released from my oath."

"I'll... keep that in mind."

"Now then, shall we return to your ship?" Samara asked.

Shepard turned to the Doctor. "Come on, let's get back to the TARDIS." Shepard ordered. She left the shotgun she borrowed on the Detective's desk and followed the Doctor out of the station with Samara in tow, back to the TARDIS just across the plaza.

"Curious." Samara commented upon seeing the TARDIS. "Might I inquire what a wooden box is doing among a city of steel and glass?"

"We'll fill you in later." Shepard dodged.

The Doctor pulled open the door to the telephone compartment, pulled the handset off the hook, and turned to Shepard. "What's the Normandy's comm code again? I forgot to put it in the contacts list."

"742051701-74656-SR2." Shepard answered.

"Blimey, that's a mouthful." The Doctor muttered, dialing out the comm code into the phone. The TARDIS, being the TARDIS, routed the call to its intended destination, and on the other end, somebody picked up. "Garrus!" The Doctor addressed upon recognizing the voice. "Listen, we need a pickup. Ilium. Wait... Are you kidding me!? Well, where are you? ...Huh. Well, we're on our way." The Doctor finished, hanging up. "You're never going to believe this. The Normandy's been docked here the whole time!"

"What?" Shepard double-taked. "Well, where are they?"

"Nos Astra Spaceport, literally a few blocks away!"

"So you're telling me we could've spared the risks of assaulting an entire base with just two people, and called on the squad to help us this whole time?"

"That's right."

"...What bullshit."

"Ah, well, you know what they say: 'hindsight is 20/20.'" The Doctor patted Shepard on the back. "Come on, the TARDIS is usually good about these short hops. Usually." The Doctor said, unlocking the doors, and pushing them open.

"I fail to see how the three of us could be transported by that." Samara commented

"Don't worry, it's a lot roomier than it looks." The Doctor said, as Samara and Shepard stepped in. Moments later, the TARDIS's engines engaged, and the timeship vanished from the streets of Nos Astra.


	23. Interlude: The TARDIS

“Goddess…” Samara breathed, her unflappable exterior momentarily broken upon seeing the inside of the TARDIS. “How large is this vessel?”

“Picture the biggest ship you’ve ever been on.” The Doctor prompted, as he continued fiddling with the controls. “Are you picturing it?”

Samara nodded, as an image of the vast corridors of the Destiny Ascension filled her mind. “Yes.”

“Good. Now forget it, because the TARDIS is infinite.” The Doctor instantly shot down.

Shepard huffed, crossing her arms. “Bullshit.”

“I’ve got gardens in here the size of planets; do you really want to argue with me on that?” The Doctor retorted, as the TARDIS began to land. The Time Rotor settled with a thud, and the Doctor stepped back from the controls. “Here we are, the Normandy!”

“You sure about that this time?” Shepard questioned, somewhat teasingly, yet also slightly serious.

“The TARDIS is usually good about these short hops.” The Doctor replied, moving over to the door. The Time Lord pulled, looking out, turning to Shepard with a smug smile. “Told you.”

Shepard huffed shaking her head, and she turned to Samara. “Come with me, I’d like to show you around the Normandy.”

“At once, Commander.” Samara nodded, following Shepard outside.

The moment the doors closed behind them, Susan came up from the lower level of the console room, sitting down on one of the chairs.

“So, Lungbarrow may not have been the… best time, but Shepard got some of her answers.” The Doctor smiled to himself satisfactorily, but let it drop when something else crossed his mind. “Although, I am curious as to what happened to Brax… Maybe he left some clues in his journal.”

Susan scowled from where she was sitting, crossing her arms. “Really? That’s what you’re focusing on?”

The Doctor spared her only a quick glance. “Was I supposed to be focused on something else?”

“Yes!” Susan answered angrily. She stepped up and marched over to the Doctor. “You knew!” She accused, poking him furiously in the chest. “You knew Shepard was my grandfather, and you… You hid it from me!”

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up in case we couldn’t jog her memory.” The Doctor calmly replied.

“And then there’s me!” Susan continued, ignoring the Doctor’s answer. “Why didn’t you tell me Tecteun was my mother!? Were you even _going_ to!?”

“Tecteun wasn’t your mother.” The Doctor practically growled. “That woman was a monster who took a child and experimented on her. I don’t regret hiding that from you.”

“What if it was you?” Susan retorted, looking like she was beginning to transition from rage to tears. “If it was you who were lied to their whole life about their family… Don’t you think you’d deserve to know?”

The Doctor sighed, turning away from the console, and from Susan. “Deserve… Maybe. Want? …No.” The Doctor turned back to Susan, looking at her almost pleadingly. “You remember what you were going through at the time. Those bullies at the Academy, the instructors that were _this_ close to throwing you out for being slower than the rest of the kids… Would you have thanked me for dropping this on you back then?”

“No.” Susan choked out honestly. “But at least I wouldn’t have had to find out later, almost second-hand.” Susan gestured frustratedly at the Doctor. “What about your Susan? You’re from a different reality, what did you tell her?”

“You’re both my Susans.” The Doctor focused on the first question.

“ _What did you tell her?_ ” Susan repeated.

“Nothing…” The Doctor looked away for just a moment. “I told her nothing, _happy!?”_ The Doctor suddenly shouted, losing all steam just as quickly, sighing. He leaned against the TARDIS console, looking down. “We both had a lot on our plates. We had to leave Gallifrey, and we had to leave, fast.”

“Why?” Susan demanded. “What was so important?”

“…There were a lot of reasons.” The Doctor quietly replied. “Boredom… Curiosity… Danger…” The Doctor huffed, shaking his head. “I suppose it’s been long enough that I don’t really remember now. Doesn’t matter in the end. She lived happily without that knowledge, and that’s enough for me.”

“…What happened to her?” Susan softly asked.

The Doctor didn’t respond for some time. “Look, Susan… believe me when I say I wasn’t hiding this from you to be cruel, or cowardly… Quite the opposite. I kept it from you because I thought it would hurt too much.”

“…It hurt that you hid it from me.” Susan sighed, shaking her head. “What do we do now?”

“If you’re that mad at me… I can take you back to Gallifrey.” The Doctor offered, though it looked like it visibly hurt him to do so.

“No!” Susan quickly answered. “I mean… I don’t want to go back. I can’t. We’re family, we stick together.”

“Yeah.” The Doctor agreed. “So, where do you-“

A banging came from the TARDIS doors.

Susan glanced at the Doctor. “You should probably answer that.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes, but walked over to the doors, pulling them open.

“Mordin!” The Doctor recognized. “Need me for something?”

“Doctor, Shepard gathering team.” Mordin explained. “Important mission.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows raised curiously. “I see… What sort of mission?”

“Collector ship.”


	24. The Collector Ship

The Doctor and Mordin were the last to arrive in the briefing room. Among those assembled, there was also the latest team member, Thane (who the Normandy crew picked up while the Doctor and Shepard went after Samara), meaning the team was at optimal strength. Not full strength, all of the dossiers hadn’t been completed, but the team was strong enough.

"Now that the Doctor and Mordin are here, we can begin." Shepard stated. "Shortly after coming back on board, the Illusive Man wanted me to speak with him. I'll spare you the exact details, but in short, he told me that a Turian patrol disabled a Collector Ship in deep space."

"Meaning this is our chance to hit 'em while we can." Jacob guessed.

"You guessed it. Obviously, we can't do much. They can easily replace a single ship, if we destroyed the one that's disabled right now. But what the Illusive Man and I are more interested in is the intel we can get." Shepard explained. "Nobody knows what's on the other side of the Omega-4, except for the Collectors, so this is our chance to figure out exactly what, and maybe figure out the Collector's motives while we're at it."

"So, what's the plan?" Garrus inquired.

"I'll take a small team over to the Collector ship.” Shepard outlined. “We'll link the Normandy's computers to it, EDI will download all of the relevant data, and we'll all get the hell outta dodge. Doctor, you think you can hack the Collector's systems?"

"Just get me to a computer, and I'll have it linked to the Normandy faster than you can say 'bingo!'" The Doctor excitedly said.

"Then that settles it. Jack, Garrus, you're with me and the Doctor. The rest of you, I want on stand-by in case we need the extra firepower. Dismissed."

**_**DW**_ **

About half an hour later, the team selected to go over to the Collector ship was sitting in the shuttle, waiting to depart.

"I don't like this." Garrus suddenly stated, looking at a hologram of the enemy ship being projected into the troop hold.

Jack snorted. "Quit being a pussy."

Garrus shot her a glare in response. "Look at it. That ship has no damage at all. If it was the ship that we faced at Horizon, then there should be at least a few hull breaches, but look at it-nothing."

The Doctor's eyebrows raised, pulling out his reading specs to peered closer at the hologram, examining it. Holograms -especially the early ones- were notorious for missing vital details about the objects they scanned, but Garrus was right. That ship wasn't damaged in the least.

"Regardless, we get in, do what we need to do, and get out." Shepard stated. "I don't want to be in that ship for any longer than absolutely necessary."

"Then that makes two of us." The Doctor agreed. "Shepard, how'd you think the Turian patrol managed to disable this thing?"

"To be honest, I have no idea."

"A single patrol managed to disable that thing, and leave no traces of it?" Garrus commented. "Shepard, I don't buy this."

Shepard shook her head. "Neither do I."

"Commander, we're approaching the LZ!" The shuttle pilot reported.

Shepard nodded, and stood up. "Breather masks on." She ordered, and everyone inside slipped the breather masks over their faces.

The shuttle touched down, and the door opened, allowing the four to hop out, and proceed with their mission.

"That's disgusting." The Doctor made a face as the floor beneath them squelched as they walked on it.

"What do you think it's made of?" Shepard inquired.

"I have some nasty suspicions." The Doctor answered. "But it's definitely fleshy."

"I've never seen a ship like this before." Garrus commented, looking around at the cave-like design of the ship.

"The entire place looks kinda like a hive." Jack noted.

"That only gives more nasty suspicions."

 _"Penetrating scans have located an access node to uplink with Collector databanks."_ EDI reported to the four. _"Marking location on your maps."_

"I don't like this." Garrus stated. "It's like something's about to jump around the corner at us."

"Then just be on your guard." Shepard ordered.

 _"Shepard, I have compared the ship's EM signature to known Collector profiles."_ EDI began. _"It is the same vessel we encountered on Horizon."_

"Maybe the defense towers softened it for the Turians." Shepard suggested as she and the others moved along.

"If that's the case then maybe the abductees are still aboard." The Doctor also suggested, filled with hope that the people were still alive.

"Look." Jack pointed. "Those are the pods from Horizon."

The pods themselves were just lying in the middle of the floor, and the four approached.

"Yeah, except these ones are empty." Shepard looked at the pods.

"Hmm, there are trace amounts of human DNA present," The Doctor reported, examining the pod with -what else- the sonic, "but whoever was inside is long gone."

"Imagine being trapped in one of those." Garrus shuddered. "I hope they weren't awake for it."

The four once again continued through the hive-like vessel but didn't make it far before encountering another horrible scene. In a small alcove, dozens of bodies were unceremoniously piled atop one another, and seemed to be… fusing to each other.

At the mere sight of it, the Doctor's fury at the Collectors increased ten-fold. He rushed over to the pile and started scanning it.

"What were they _doing?"_ Shepard wondered, fury also bubbling up within her.

"Lindos traces? No... it can't be." The Doctor whispered, looking at the sonic screwdriver's readouts in horror. "That’s impossible!”

"What is?" Garrus inquired of the Time Lord. "The Collectors were experimenting on them?"

"The Collectors _were_ experimenting on them, yes." The Doctor confirmed. "But their bodies did this on their own."

"I still don't understand." Shepard stated, getting closer to the Doctor. "What happened."

"These people... they've regenerated." The Doctor began to explain. "Us Gallifreyans have the ability to bring ourselves back from the brink of death." He started, pacing back and forth. "The DNA in our cells gets ripped apart, and stitched back together in a new configuration, any injuries that may have triggered the regeneration get healed, and you emerge from the process a new man. New appearance, personality, the works. It's always been something unique to the life-forms on Gallifrey; a side effect of how much vortex energy the planet gets continually bathed in. But it looks like the Collectors have tried to modify humans to undergo the process..."

"And this is what happened." Shepard finished, looking at the pile in newfound horror. "Will this happen to me if I regenerate?"

"No, no.” The Doctor quickly denied. “The Chameleon Arch turned you back to full Gallifreyan, you’ll be fine. but these poor souls," The Doctor glanced over at the pile in sadness, "their bodies couldn't handle the stresses, and their DNA got corrupted. So then the regeneration tried to stabilize by taking in surrounding biomass, but they still couldn't handle it, so the regeneration still continued to try, until everyone's regenerations are taking biomass from each other, so they all fuse together, and the end result is... that."

"But where would the Collectors get the knowledge of how regeneration works?" Shepard wondered. "At least, enough knowledge to be able to induce it in others."

"The Reaper on Horizon said they encountered the Time Lords before." The Doctor remembered. "If it got its tentacles on even one Time Lord, then it'd be able to get everything it needed from a single regeneration happening."

"Any ideas on why the Collectors did this?" Shepard inquired, making it a point to look away from the pile.

"They could be trying to improve themselves." The Doctor hypothesized. "By testing if regeneration can work in non-Gallifreyans, then the Collectors can see if they can use it on themselves safely. It'd allow them to heal faster, and basically shrug off any killing blow they took. But it looks like their experiments didn't work."

"Then for now, I'm glad that it didn't. The last thing we need are Reaper soldiers that can resurrect themselves."

All four shuddered at the image that last part generated.

"Hmm, if this is a dumping site for the failed experiments, then there's got to be a lab nearby..." The Doctor guessed to himself. Before Shepard could stop him, he peeked around a corner, and found what he was looking for. "Looks like I was right! Granted, I'm rarely ever wrong, but..." He trailed off, as he walked up to a computer terminal. There were three metal tables to the right of the terminal, on which were deceased Collectors. "Looks like they were experimenting on their own."

"Maybe you were right about what they were doing." Shepard suggested.

"Maybe, but I doubt that's the only reason." The Doctor responded. He activated the computer and examined it further. "It looks like they were running baseline genetic comparisons between themselves and humanity."

"What? Why would they do that?" Shepard wondered.

"No idea, but the Collectors have a quad-stranded structure, so why they would run these comparisons in the first place is a mystery."

Shepard froze. "What did you just say?"

"The Collectors have a quad-stranded DNA structure. Why?"

 _"Doctor, only one race is known to possess a quad-strand genetic structure:"_ EDI butted in. _"The Protheans."_

"The Protheans?" The Doctor repeated. "The ancient race that you lot believe to have built the Mass Relays and the Citadel? Those guys?"

_"The very same."_

"Hmm... EDI, do you have samples of Prothean DNA?"

_"There have been some samples recovered from ancient ruins. They are currently stored in the Normandy's databanks."_

"Send a few of the scans to my omni-tool." The Doctor ordered. Moments later, the omni-tool pinged, and the Doctor was provided a holographic view of the DNA. He scanned a dead Collector with his sonic screwdriver, and compared the scan results to the ancient Prothean DNA. "Just as I thought. These guys are no longer Protheans. They may have been at one point, but they look like they've had extensive genetic rewrites. Three fewer chromosomes, a reduced heterochromatin structure, removed sequences, stuff like that."

"So the Reapers didn't destroy the Protheans... they turned them into monsters and enslaved them." Shepard observed in horror.

"They're still working for the Reapers." Garrus pointed out.

"You're right." Shepard agreed. "We have to stop them. Let's get what we came for and leave. Move out."

At Shepard's order, the group proceeded along, albeit a bit tense.

"Look up there." Jack pointed up as they came to a small intersection not to far away from the lab. "More pods."

"How many do you think are full?" Garrus wondered.

"Too many." The Doctor and Shepard both said, perfectly in sync.

_"I am detecting no signs of life within the pods. It is likely the occupants died when the ship lost primary power."_

"Well, I suppose the most we can do is hope that it was quick." Shepard said.

 _"Commander, you gotta hear this."_ Joker radioed in. _"On a hunch, I asked EDI to run an analysis on the ship. You'll never believe what she found."_

 _"I compared the EM profile to data recorded by the original Normandy before its destruction."_ EDI explained. _"They are an exact match."_

That was when Shepard's blood ran cold. "The same ship's been hounding me for two years? That's way beyond coincidence." She said, still continuing up the ramp.

 _"Something doesn't add up, Commander. Watch your back."_ Joker said, before cutting the connection.

The four walked into a large, cavernous space, which seemed to be the reason why the Collector ship was so big.

"Oh my God." The Doctor breathed, looking at the roof of the massive chamber.

The pods that the Collectors used lined every inch of the ceiling's surface, and whether or not they were filled, was anyone's guess.

"They could take every human in Terminus Space and still not have enough to fill those pods." Garrus stated. "They're going to go after Earth."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." The Doctor said, with a stone-cold look on his face. And for a split second, everyone in that room was terrified of the man that stood before them.

They all proceeded forward, down a small ramp, to another computer terminal.

"Something's not right." Garrus said.

"Yeah, there should be dead Collectors everywhere." Jack agreed.

"Doctor, you're up." Shepard said, gesturing to the terminal.

He nodded, and started typing on the controls. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"What is it?" Shepard inquired, as the others watched out for any signs of a trap.

"There's a virus in here. If we'd linked EDI to it, it would've caused some trouble." The Doctor explained, as his fingers flew across the terminal's holographic controls even faster. "There. I've written a counter-virus. It should be safe to connect EDI to it."

"Do it." Shepard ordered.

The Doctor nodded, and connected EDI. _"Beginning data-mine."_ The AI reported.

"Wait a minute..." The Doctor mumbled to himself. "If they had a virus already in the system, then that means they knew we were coming, and if that's the case, then... Shepard, this is a trap!"

But it was too late. As soon as he said that, the platform on which the four stood lifted up, and carried them into the air. "Oh no you don't!" The Doctor shouted, beginning to type out on the terminal again. The platform stopped rising and locked into place. Another platform hovered close to them, allowing a bunch of Collectors to get a clear shot.

"EDI, we need a way out!" Shepard shouted, firing on the Collectors that tried to get close.

_"The way the system is designed is... strange. I cannot access the other systems until the download is complete."_

"Then just make it quick! Doctor, give EDI a hand!"

"Right-o!"

"Scions!" Jack shouted.

The Doctor looked up from the terminal at the two sluggish creatures. He grabbed the sonic, pointed it at the Scions, and pushed the activator, sending out a wave of soundwaves. The Scions then froze in place, and then exploded. "That worked? I mean- ha! That worked!"

They proceeded like this for a few minutes. Shepard, Garrus, and Jack would focus on keeping the Collector forces off the Doctor while he aided EDI, and the Time Lord would look up every once in a while, using the sonic to take care of some of the more technology-based enemies. Eventually, the Collectors stopped coming in, and EDI linked to the terminal.

 _"I have reestablished my link to the command console."_ EDI reported, her holographic avatar being projected above the controls.

"Good work." Shepard complimented.

 _"I always function at optimal capacity."_ EDI responded, and if she had a face, she'd be smiling. Her hologram disappeared, and the platform set back into motion.

"Did you get what we came for?" Shepard inquired as the platform moved along.

 _"I have found data that could help us navigate the Omega-4 relay."_ EDI confirmed. _"I have also found the Turian distress call that served as the lure for the trap. The Collectors were the source. It is... unusual."_

The platform shook as it set back down on the floor. "Why?" Shepard asked, stabilizing herself.

_"Turian emergency channels have secondary encryption. It is present but corrupted in the message. It is not possible the Illusive Man would believe the message was genuine."_

"Why are you so sure about that?"

 _"I found the anomaly with Cerberus detection protocols. He_ wrote _them."_

Shepard clenched her fists. "That bastard sent us right into Collector hands!" She slammed her fist into her palm.

"I fucking knew it!" Jack yelled, getting angry. "This is what you get for trusting those Cerberus fucks!"

"We've got bigger problems right now!" The Doctor interrupted from his position at the terminal. "This ship's powering up, I'm doing what I can to slow it down, but I can't stop it!"

"Then we've got to get moving." Shepard said, jumping off the platform, onto the Collector ship's hive-ish floor. "Let's get back to the shuttle and get the hell out of here!"

The four began to run through the ship's labyrinthian corridors, tearing through the Collector forces they came across along the way.

But then, _he_ showed up.

 **"WE ARE HARBINGER."** Harbinger boomed, as it possessed a Collector.

"Not you again!" Shepard shouted, shooting at the Reaper-possessed shell.

 **"YOUR WEAPONS ARE USELESS."** Harbinger proclaimed. **"THIS HURTS YOU."** He said, firing a blast of orange biotic energy.

"Doctor, last time we encountered that thing, you told it you knew how to block it, right?" Shepard asked, behind cover.

"That was a clever lie!" The Time Lord fired back. "But I might be able to come up with a way!"

"Then do it!"

The Doctor popped up from cover, switched the setting on the sonic, and pointed it at Harbinger. He pressed the activator, and waves of sonic energy shot out from the emitter, and hit Harbinger. The shell body stumbled, stopped taking any action, and simply allowed itself to be destroyed.

"How'd you do that?" Shepard asked, as she led the others through the ship.

"The Codex I -er- procured mentioned that the Reapers use infrasonic waves as part of Indoctrination. I figure that since ol' Harby can possess the Collectors, there's got to be some form of Indoctrination involved. So I just set the sonic to generate frequencies that would directly cancel out the infrasound, and Fran's-your-auntie, you've got a way to cut off the signal! A bit amazed I didn't think of it before, actually."

Eventually, they came across something Shepard was dreading to see even more than Harbinger.

A Praetorian.

"Doctor, any more useful tricks in that magic wand of yours!?" Shepard shouted out as the Praetorian began its unstoppable onslaught.

"Yeah, I've got it! Let's see, setting 8879004326b..." He mumbled, switching to the setting he used to disrupt the Horizon Praetorian's barrier. He pointed it at the Praetorian, pressed the activator, and...

Nothing happened.

"What!?" The Doctor spat out, looking down at his trusty tool. "They've adapted to the frequencies I've used since last time!"

"Well, do something about it!"

"Yeah, cause that's going to be easy." The Doctor sarcastically mumbled, as he frantically looked around for something that could help. He saw a Collector Particle Beam lying on the floor next to its dead wielder and picked it up. "Let's see, if I can just increase the output power..." He bit his lip as he set to work on the device, as Shepard and the rest tried to fight off the massive creature.

The Praetorian let out a powerful burst of biotic energy, causing the four to stammer back, as it slammed to the ground. A barrier then surrounded the Praetorian, and it hovered up into the air, firing its own particle beam at the Normandy crew.

The three the Praetorian was focusing on were getting their butts kicked, and they would not be able to hold out for much longer.

"Shepard!" The Doctor called, coming to the rescue. "Take this!" He commanded, throwing the particle weapon in her direction.

Shepard leaped up, caught it, and fell back down, landing gracefully. She turned on the Praetorian and pulled the trigger.

But instead of the normal stream of golden particles, whatever the Doctor did caused the beam to fire a pure white particle stream. And this one was much more intense.

The stream of particles ripped through the barriers on the Praetorian, and Shepard guided the stream in such a way that it cut off the head of the floating beast. The Praetorian dropped to the floor, dead, and Shepard looked at the weapon she held in amazement. "Whoa."

"I increased the particle output." The Doctor explained as they moved forward. "Though that little bit of firing back there probably burned out the power supply. But with that thing dead, we should have a clear shot to the shuttle."

And indeed, they did. With the massive beast out of their way, the only thing left they had to contend with were more husks, but more Collectors were closing in fast. Eventually, they made it to the waiting shuttle.

"Everybody in!" Shepard yelled, as they all piled in. The shuttle's gull-wing door shut behind them, and it lifted off, rocketing out of the Collector ship at speeds far too unsafe for their proximity to the walls. The shuttle made it out into the void of space and rocketed into the Normandy's shuttlebay.

The Normandy, and by extension the shuttle, shook as it tried to evade the fire from the Collector ship. Then, everyone aboard the shuttle felt the Mass Effect core kick in at full power, and the Normandy blasted into FTL, just as a beam of energy narrowly missed the Cerberus ship.

“Should’ve just taken the TARDIS.” The Doctor grumbled to himself, as the deck rocked beneath them all.


	25. Miranda

After the team sent to the Collector ship returned to the Normandy (and after she had a few choice words with the Illusive Man), Shepard ordered the more scientifically minded of the team(meaning Mordin and the Doctor), along with Miranda and Jacob, to assemble in the briefing room once again, to go over the data recovered from the Collector Ship.

"So the Illusive Man didn't sell us out." Jacob scoffed. "Could've fooled me."

"Lied to us. Used us. Needed access to Collector databanks." Mordin inhaled. "Necessary risk."

"If he tries something like that again, the Collectors will be the least of his problems." Shepard vowed, and everyone but her shivered at her tone. "EDI, are you sure this IFF's going to work?"

"An IFF? So that's how they can go through the Omega Relay without being torn to smithereens." The Doctor rubbed his chin in thought. "Any ideas on where to get our hands on one?"

"The Illusive Man said there's a derelict Reaper we can board for it." Shepard explained. "But after what just went down, I'm not too sure about whether or not to trust him."

"I don't blame you. Now," The Doctor clapped his hands together. "We know how to get through the Relay, but where the Collectors are operating from is the real question. If we go through that relay, there's no guarantee that their base of operations is right next door to the other side of the relay."

"The Doctor's right. EDI?" Shepard turned to the AI's avatar.

"I have managed to determine the approximate location of the Collectors' homeworld, based off navigational data downloaded from their ship's databases." EDI reported, and a hologram of the galaxy was projected over the center of the table. A red circle, with two lines intersecting it, roamed around the projection of the map, before settling in the center of the projection.

"That can't be right." Miranda said, looking closer at the map.

"EDI has zero-point-one-eight margin of error." Mordin stated. "Has to be right. Collector homeworld located in galactic core."

"Can't be." Jacob leaned forward, peering across the table. "The galactic core is nothing more than black holes and dying stars. There are no habitable planets there."

"It could be an artificial construction." The Doctor suggested. "Now, I'm no expert, but if you had a Mass Effect field powerful enough, you could theoretically counteract the gravity of anything, no matter the force."

"Theoretically." Miranda emphasized. "But not even the Collectors have that kind of technology."

"The Reapers do." Shepard stated.

"The logical conclusion is that there must be a very small safe zone beyond the relay, a region where ships can survive. However, drifting outside that zone would be immediately fatal, and relay drift of several thousands of kilometers is common. The IFF must trigger the relay to use more advanced protocols." EDI hypothesized.

"Don't see need to recover IFF." Mordin told his comrades. "TARDIS could transport us directly to Collector base without need for relay."

"She couldn't." The Doctor shook his head, refuting Mordin. "My people practically invented black holes, sure, but… If I try to get us there without a solid idea of where we’re landing, we could end up materializing slap bang in the middle of one.”

"Okay, so no TARDIS, meaning we need to get that IFF." Shepard said. "But for now, we need to keep building our team. Better to have more people then we need than the other way around. Dismissed."

And with that, all of them left the room.

**_**DW**_ **

It was a few hours later when something happened that the Doctor didn't expect. Or did, technically. He and Susan had been sitting in the Console Room of the TARDIS, doing some routine maintenance on the old girl, when there was a knock on the door.

The Doctor looked up from his task, his curiosity piqued.

Shepard never had to knock, the TARDIS just let her in every time, and Mordin would've told the Doctor in advance if he wanted to see the interior of the TARDIS.

Deciding to see who the responsible party was, the Doctor got up, and headed to the door. He opened it, and came face to face with the one who knocked.

"Doctor," Miranda began, a desperate look on her face, "I need your help."

Now _that_ caught the Doctor's interest. "...What?"

"Just, please, hear me out." Miranda pleaded. "I would have gone to Shepard, but she's busy down on the surface, and... She said you were good. At helping." Miranda nervously (and quite uncharacteristically) rambled.

The Doctor held up his hand and motioned for her to calm down. "Just calm down, okay? Now, start from the beginning."

"My sister's in danger."

The Doctor motioned for her to go on.

"My father had me genetically engineered to be the perfect 'daughter.'" Miranda humorlessly chuckled. "I'll spare you every last detail about my childhood, but it wasn't a good one. I wasn't allowed to socialize with other children unless they had been cleared by him, I was constantly held to unrealistic expectations, and every time I didn't meet those expectations I was punished. Severely."

"How so?" The Doctor cocked his eyebrow.

"It wasn’t always strictly physical,” Miranda explained, “But everything I did, it was always because he wanted me to do it. Everything he ever gave me, there was always a catch, always a condition, and sometimes… he did get physical.”

The Doctor grimaced. "Okay... I can see how that's a pretty terrible upbringing. Still, it's not as bad as some other people."

"Oh, I never said that. Still, it's just... One day, I had enough, and decided to leave. But before I went, I found out that my father had another child engineered. I-I didn't want her to go through the same pain I went through, so I took her with me."

The Doctor nodded, following along. "And then you gave her to a married couple that couldn't have children for them to raise her, and you stepped out of her life, never contacting her, but always keeping an eye on her."

"How-how did you know that?" Miranda stuttered.

"Who do you think Sherlock Holmes was based on? But anyway, my question's this: Why do you need my help?"

"Oriana -that's her name- is close to being found by my father. If he knows where she is, he'll try to get her back. With force. I was only told about it a few minutes after Shepard went down to Haestrom's surface, so I would go myself, but the shuttle's down on the surface, and trying to go all the way to Ilium would mean taking the Normandy away from a critical mission."

"So you want to use the TARDIS."

"...Yes. I realize why you don't want me in there, and I've done my best to respect that. But... Oriana's important to me, so I figured that just this once-"

"Say no more." The Doctor interrupted. "I'll help you, but we've got to lay down a few ground rules. One: No scanning the TARDIS. And two: Don't touch the Console. Got it?"

"Understood... Thank you."

"Now then," The Doctor stepped aside, allowing Miranda to enter, "Welcome aboard."

"Oh my God..." Miranda's eyes widened as she looked around the console room. "It really is bigger on the inside..."

"Now then!" The Doctor shouted, slamming the door shut, and hopping over to the console. "Ilium, you said?"

"That's correct."

"Then let me just press the handy-dandy fast-return switch..." The Doctor said, putting his finger a small red switch on the console. He flicked the switch, and instantly, the TARDIS's engines engaged. "And we'll be off!" He yelled, over the loud wheezing/scraping noise the engines made as the TARDIS shook.

"Is it supposed to be like this!?" Miranda yelled, holding onto one of the railings for dear life.

"You bet it is!" The Doctor shouted back, as he turned a few of the dials on the console. Then, he reached for the switch, and flicked it back into the off position. Then, the TARDIS went through the materialization sequence, the engines ground to a halt, and the console room calmed. "Here we are, Nos Astra spaceport!"

"Grandfather..." Susan began from the underside of the console. "We've got a bit of a problem..."

"Eh?" He responded. He got down on the floor and hung upside down from the upper platform of the console, looking at Susan. "What kind of problem?"

"That kind of problem." Susan said, pointing to one of the panels at the base of the pillar that extended up into the console. The panel was open, and smoke was billowing from it. "When did you decide it was a good idea to use a laser screwdriver as a capacitor?"

"Well, capacitors are usually metal, and it was metal..."

Susan shook her head. "Grandfather, who taught you how to repair TARDISes?"

"Nobody! I'm completely self-taught!"

"Then that explains it..."

"Look, can you just fix it while Miranda and I are out?"

"I don't know, can I have the tub of Risnian Chocolate Ice Cream that's in the freezer?"

"...Fine." The Doctor reluctantly conceded. "But it'd better be done before we get back!"

"Yes, Grandfather." Susan responded, setting to work on repairing the mess the Doctor made of the TARDIS's innards.

"Now then," The Doctor said, getting back upright, "Shall we be off?"

Miranda nodded, and followed the Doctor as he opened the TARDIS doors. As she stepped out, she looked around in confusion. "How'd you know I needed to come to Eternity?"

"That would be the TARDIS." The Doctor answered. Then, he smiled. "She's always taking people where they need to go. So, I presume Oriana's here?"

"No." Miranda shook her head. "But my contact is. She's with the team in charge of moving Oriana and her family. She should be in one of the private rooms. Come on." She said, leading him into one of the club's side rooms.

Inside, there was a purple skinned Asari, waiting for them. "Ms. Lawson, I'm glad you made it." The Asari said, pushing herself from her leaning position on the wall. "There's been a complication."

"What happened?" Miranda asked, getting worried pretty much instantly. "Is everything alright?"

"She's fine. But you listed a man named... Niket as your trusted source? He warned that your father has sent Eclipse mercenaries to make a sweep." She explained. "He suggested that the mercs might be watching for you personally. He suggested he escort Oriana's family to the terminal instead."

"Can we trust this Niket person?" The Doctor asked of Miranda.

"With our lives." Miranda answered instantly. "He's a friend. He and I go back a long way..."

"Do you want to bring in any of your other contacts, Ms. Lawson?" The Asari inquired.

"No. You and Niket are the only two I trust on this."

"What about the Eclipse?" The Doctor wondered. "Shepard and I were able to make it through their base safely, but that was relatively undefended."

"I knew I should've brought along some of the other crew, but I wasn't expecting this to happen."

"That's Murphy's Law for you. 'What can go wrong, will go wrong.'" The Doctor remembered the age-old saying. "But I might be able to call in some help, if you'd like."

Miranda thought about it for a moment. "Do it."

The Doctor nodded and stepped out of the small room. He walked over to the TARDIS, pulled the phone door open, pulled the phone of the hook, and dialed 07700 900461. The phone rang, and a moment later, it was picked up.

 _"Hello?"_ The voice of John greeted him.

"Listen, could you put Jack on?"

_"Hold on-"_

_"Yello?"_

"Jack, listen, I need your help."

_"Reeealy?"_

"Okay, let me put it this way. I don't need your help, a beautiful woman needs your help."

 _"...I'm on my way."_ Jack said, before the call cut. Seconds later, lightning erupted next to the TARDIS, and Jack appeared, clad in his signature WWII coat. "Now, where's this beautiful woman that needs me?"

As soon as Jack asked that, Miranda left the room and approached the Doctor. "Is he the one who's supposed to be helping us?"

"Yep! It was either him, or River. And I'm not too sure how to get in contact with her right now."

"Hello, gorgeous." Jack smiled, holding out his hand. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"You still have a wife." The Doctor reminded him.

Jack instantly pulled his hand back. "Sorry about that, when I see a beautiful person, I just can't help myself. So, you need my help?"

"I'll fill you in on the way." Miranda responded. "Come on, I've arranged for a car to take us where we need to go." She guided the two men out of the bar, and led them to a skycar depot on the edge of the spaceport. The three got into one of the cars, and rocketed off, heading to their destination.

**_**DW**_ **

"Wait, so our plan is to act as a diversion?" Jack repeated, as the car flew through the skylanes of Ilium.

"That's correct." Miranda responded, piloting the car along. Then, engines whirred loudly as two aircraft came up on both sides of the car.

"Gunships." The Doctor said the word with a bad taste in his mouth. "Three guesses where they're going."

"Same place we are." Miranda stated, following the gunships. She put the skycar into a dive, and the Eclipse mercs started shooting at it. A moment later, the gunfire stopped, but the car hit the ground unceremoniously, and slid to a rough stop.

"Another happy landing." Jack smiled, easing the mood.

"Let me do the talking." The Doctor said, as the door opened, and they all got out. "I'm good at talking. Hello!" He waved, as they (for some reason) walked closer to the vicious people with guns. "I understand you work for a man named Henry Lawson?"

"What's it to you?" The lead merc crossed his arms.

"You see, he's trying to kidnap my friend's sister. And I really don't like that. Or kidnappers, in general. So, why don't you call off this operation of yours, before we're forced to do something we'll all regret?"

"You think you've got it all figured out, do ya?" The merc Captain chuckled humorlessly. "This is a lot more complicated than you think."

"Not really. Miranda here rescued a child from what was going to be nothing more than a lifetime of pain, misery, and abuse. And you're trying to force her into that life. I don't blame you, really, you're just hired guns. You do what you're told. So, I'm going to give you this one chance: Leave the girl alone, let us leave, and we'll put this all behind us."

"And if we don't?"

"Then you'll have to deal with me." The Doctor threatened, his voice low, almost dangerously so.

The merc Captain's eyes narrowed, and the Doctor held his stare. The merc sighed and began speaking. "I can't do much about the girl. Captain Enyala's in charge of this operation, so if you want this to stop, you'll have to go to her. I'll do what I can to keep my men from firing on you, though."

The Doctor smiled and patted the man on the back. "See, now was that so hard? Don't worry, me and my associates will be out of here in a jiffy." He motioned for Miranda and Jack to catch up to him, and the three broke into a sprint, intent on getting away as fast as possible. "Oh, and look into getting out of the whole mercenary business!" He shouted, as they disappeared into the distance.

**_**DW**_ **

"How did you do that!?" Miranda asked, as they ran through the cargo loading bay.

"Practice." The Doctor answered as they turned a corner. "Besides, he seemed like a reasonable fellow. You just need to know the right buttons to push. Ah, a lift!" He fiddled with the control panel, causing the door to open, allowing them access. "Right... any idea which floor they're on?"

"We're going to have to cut through the cargo processing yard." Miranda answered.

"Cargo Processing Yard it is..." The Doctor mumbled, pressing the elevator controls. The elevator car gently shuddered as it moved up the shaft. Eventually, the elevator stopped, and the three stepped out.

As soon as they spotted the three, the Eclipse in the large space opened fire, sending the three to dive into cover.

Miranda, along with Jack, opened fire on the Eclipse. She spotted an explosive canister, and shot it, sending the Eclipse close to it flying. The Eclipse that weren't close to the canister when it exploded were then tore into by the gunfire.

 _"This is Enyala."_ One of the radios on the dead mercs chirped. _"Keep the bitch back! Niket is nearing the transport terminal!"_

"Come on!" Jack ushered. "I'll patch us in to their comm channel, but we've got to keep moving if we want to get to your sister first."

Miranda nodded, and led the Time Agent and the Time Lord through an open cargo container, deeper into the processing yard.

"Mechs!" Jack shouted.

"I've got them!" The Doctor responded, popping out of cover to aim the sonic screwdriver at the automatons. He pressed the activator, and the mechs exploded.

 _"I don't care how many mechs we lose, just stall them damn it!"_ The radio chirped again, the same voice as before behind it.

Then, gunfire started up again, and they scrambled into cover.

"They're on the other side of that gap!" The Doctor reported.

Miranda peeked her head out to see for herself and spotted some more explosive canisters. All it took was a single shot for one of them to explode, and cause a chain reaction, which set every merc within the blast radius ablaze.

"You'd think they'd have higher standards for storing fuel tanks." Jack commented, looking at the blazing inferno.

"At least it wasn't Peragian fuel." Miranda remarked. "Come on, it looks like we're clear."

"They aren't putting up much of a fight." The Doctor stated, as he followed Miranda and Jack out of cover.

"I think these Eclipse are just cannon fodder. Meant to stall us." The Cerberus operative hypothesized.

 _"Divert everyone except my guard."_ Enyala ordered the listening Eclipse. _"I'll handle Niket and the girl myself."_

"We have to keep moving!" Miranda ordered, breaking out into a sprint. Jack and the Doctor followed, and they fought through the cargo yard.

The yard was a sprawling complex of twists and turns, and it was filled with Eclipse at every corner. The mercs couldn't do much against the three, however. Between the Time Lord, the Time Agent, and the Cerberus Operative, the mercs had their work cut out for them.

The three plowed through the Eclipse, using their surroundings to their advantage. At one point, Jack even managed to use his sonic blaster to make a crate fall on a bunch of unsuspecting Eclipse troopers.

Eventually, the three made it to an elevator at the other end of the facility.

 _"Niket has reached the terminal._ " Enyala reported to the other Eclipse members. " _He'll switch the family over to our transport._ "

Miranda froze in her tracks. "Niket? But..."

"Who is this Niket?" Jack inquired, as they all stepped into the elevator.

The Doctor hit the button, and the elevator shot up the shaft.

"When I was growing up, Niket was the only person who I considered a friend." Miranda answered. "He helped me escape from my father when I finally decided to leave. He knows about Oriana, but he'd never... Maybe Enyala knows we're listening in and she's feeding us misinformation?" She suggested, desperately clinging to the hope that her oldest friend hadn't betrayed her. "Damn it, why can't this thing go any faster!?" She slammed her hand on the controls

"Sorry, but this thing," Jack held up the vortex manipulator, "is designed to listen in on all sorts of frequencies without being detected. They've got no idea."

"But Niket- He wouldn't-"

"Betray everything you stood for?" The Doctor finished, crossing his arms. "Miranda, is it possible that maybe you just don't know him as well as you thought?"

"Niket's the closest- no, the _only_ true friend I've ever had. I know him better than anyone, he wouldn't just betray me like this!"

The Doctor placed his hands on his chin. "Does he know about how you took Oriana with you?"

"Not until recently. I would've just done the same as we'd always had when moving her and her family. But this time, it was just... too personal to involve anyone else. But he knows what I've been through, he'd understand why I did it!"

"Maybe." The Doctor conceded. "But money is a pretty powerful motivator for people. If your father got to Niket, made him an offer he couldn't refuse..."

"He wouldn't betray me like that." Miranda shook her head. "We'll be at the transport terminal soon, and we'll clear all this up."

But unbeknownst to her, Murphy's Law would rear its ugly head once again.

**_**DW**_ **

"...Listen to me, I've got authorization to change their booking!" A man in civilian garb, presumably Niket, said to an Asari transport officer.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we're under security lockdown." The officer said. "Until it's lifted, passengers cannot be rebooked.

"This isn't worth my time, Niket." Another Asari, this one in Eclipse armor (and presumably Enyala), told the man. "I get paid no matter how the girl gets to him."

"No! I was told that I could handle this my way. We're not traumatizing the family any more than we-"

"Ah, hello!" The Doctor said, deciding to make the group's presence known. "Sorry we're late, but you know how it is."

Niket's eyes gran over the group, before stopping on Miranda. They widened once he realized who she was. "Miri."

"This should be fun." Enyala hopped off the crate she sat on and readied her gun. In response, Jack and Miranda did the same.

The Asari transport officer, meanwhile, moved to run from the conflict that was sure to ensue, and was gunned down by Enyala for it.

The Doctor glared at the Eclipse captain. "Big mistake."

Enyala laughed. "What?"

"You just killed a defenseless woman in cold blood. That is _not_ a good place to stand with me." The Time Lord stated, voice steely.

"Niket." Miranda began, steering the conversation away from where it was currently headed. "You sold me out. Why? You were my friend, you helped me get away from my father."

"Yes! Because you wanted to leave. That was your choice. But it I'd known you'd stolen a baby-"

"I didn't steal her! I rescued her!"

"Rescued? From a life of wealth and happiness? You weren't saving her; you were getting back at your father."

"Wealth and happiness? You know as well as I do that the same things that happened to me would've happened to her!"

"I can't believe this!" The Doctor yelled. "You're in a fuss about Miranda kidnapping Oriana, and now you're going and doing it yourself!"

"We're not kidnapping her. We're rescuing her." Enyala turned those words back on Miranda. "Come on, Niket. Let's finish this bitch off and get out of here."

"Take your best shot." Miranda sneered.

"I was just waiting for you to finish getting dressed. Or does Cerberus really let you whore around in that outfit?"

"Everybody calm down!" Jack ordered. "Miranda, if he's been sent by your father, then he knows about her family. You can't just keep moving her and hope for the best."

Niket bowed his head. "Miranda's father has no information about Oriana and her family. I knew you had spy programs in your father's systems, so I didn't say anything. I'm the only one who knows."

"Which means that your the only loose end. This isn't how I wanted it to end, Niket. I'll miss you..."

"Miranda Lawson, you drop that line of thought right this second."

"Doctor, you don't understand. It won't end here. My father will keep trying to find Oriana."

"Well, maybe Mister Niket here can help us. Right?"

"I-I'll tell him you hid her." Niket stammered. "That I don't know where she is."

"Fine. Just... Get out of here." Miranda ordered. "I never want to see you again-"

A loud gunshot then rang throughout the warehouse, and Niket dropped to the floor, dead.

"Done." Enyala said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a package to deliver."

Miranda's biotics flared, and Enyala was pulled into the air, in stasis. "You'll die for that, bitch!" Miranda then threw the Asari clear across the room.

Then, all hell broke loose. More Eclipse started rushing in, firing their weapons.

The three fought as hard as they could, as biotic energy and weapons fire flew through the air. A bolt from Jack's sonic blaster hit Enyala, and tore clean through her barrier. Then, a warp from Miranda shredded the Asari's armor. After that, gunfire from the two did the rest, and killed the Asari. After that, there was only the last little Eclipse to deal with, and they were all promptly taken out as well.

With the room clear, the three entered the elevator, and set it into motion.

"I can't believe Niket sold me out." Miranda shook her head. "I didn't even see it coming..."

"Even with all that genetic engineering, you're still just human." The Doctor stated.

"But I let it get personal, and... I screwed up."

"Miranda, we all make mistakes." The Doctor comforted. "But don't wallow in your own self-pity because of them. Learn from them, use them to make yourself a better person. It's not going to help instantly, but I guarantee you this: You _will_ feel better." The elevator stopped, and the door slid open. "Now come on, let's go see Oriana off."

They all stepped out, and walked into the transport depot. "No sign of Eclipse." Miranda said, looking around. "It looks like we're in the clear." Miranda stopped looking around, and turned her attention to the small family waiting to board the transport. "There she is." Miranda smiled, looking at the youngest woman, who was the splitting image of Miranda. "She's safe... with her family." For a moment, Miranda looked sad, and maybe just a tad bit regretful. "Come on, we should go." She said, putting on the mask once more.

"No." The Doctor shook his head. "We're not finished."

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to go introduce yourself. Let her know that she has a sister that cares for her, and won't ever, ever stop."

"Doctor-"

"Miranda, is it really so bad for her to know that she has a sister who loves her?"

"I guess not..." Miranda conceded. She swallowed her pride, and walked over to Oriana. The two talked for a few moments, and Miranda walked back over to the Doctor and Jack, smiling the biggest smile the Doctor had ever seen her have. "Come on." They all walked into the elevator, and Oriana smiled one last time at Miranda, and the door shut, the elevator taking them to their destination.

**_**DW**_ **

"I think that went pretty well, don't you?" The Doctor asked, as he and Miranda strolled into the TARDIS, Jack having gone back to the Doctor he knew.

"Yes... I suppose it did." Miranda returned.

"Now then, we should be getting back to the Normandy. Susan!" The Doctor called. "Is she fixed yet?"

"Yep!" Susan confirmed, walking up the stairs, holding a tub of ice cream.

"Excellent!" The Doctor hopped around the console, and pressed the fast-return switch again, and the TARDIS dematerialized into the Vortex. Seconds later, the engines slowed to a halt, and the TT capsule landed. "Here we are! Miss Lawson, you should get back to your station. Before Shepard realizes you were gone."

"I'll do that." Miranda nodded. The Doctor escorted her to the door, but before he could open it, Miranda pulled him into a hug.

"...eh?" Was all that the Doctor could say, being as confused as he was.

"Thank you." Miranda said, before releasing him. "Now, I should return to my post. Be seeing you." She walked out, and the door shut, leaving the Doctor and Susan alone in the console room.

"Grandfather, what just happened?" Susan asked, not believing her eyes.

The Doctor however, just smiled. "Oh, it's very simple. The Ice Queen's just started defrosting."


	26. Creek Symphony

Susan sat waiting in one of the chairs on the second level of the TARDIS's massive library. For some reason, the Doctor told her to wait there for him. Curious, Susan obliged.

Susan waited for about five minutes, before her grandfather entered, clad in the ornate robes many Time Lords also wore. "Grandfather?"

The Doctor cleared his throat, and started speaking, with an unusually formal tone. "Susan… You have been dutiful in your studies, and now, the time has come. Are you prepared to be administered the graduation exam?"

"Of course, Grandfather."

"Then let's not delay." The Doctor said, walking over to a storage compartment on the wall. The compartment's door was usually locked, but this time, it slid open effortlessly, allowing the Doctor to pull out a large book(well, more of a tome, really). He opened the book, and started reading from it. "Being a Time Lord is no small task. It falls to us to uphold the Laws of Time, and serve as guardians of the timeline, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Then you will answer every question this presents to you." The Doctor said, putting the book down in front of Susan. "You must answer to the best of your ability. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Then you may begin." The Doctor responded, moving to exit the library. He walked through the maze-like corridors of the TARDIS, and back into the console room. He tuned one of the monitors to show a live security feed of the library, and began to observe as Susan took her test.

Susan was doing quite well, in all honesty. Most of the questions on the test were designed to confuse and deceive, to weed out the students that were sure to become renegades, from those that would likely be model Time Lords. The rest of the questions were design to test the knowledge of temporal mechanics, and the Laws of Time.

It was a few hours later when Susan sighed in relief, and closed the book. The book then disappeared as it was reclaimed by the TARDIS, and Susan's test results were displayed for the Doctor.

After reading over the results from the test, a grin split the Doctor's face. He pulled a small box out of a secret compartment in the floor, and ran off to the library.

"Susan," The Doctor began, approaching the young Gallifreyan, "Congratulations. You just made Time Lord."

"Yes!" Susan excitedly shouted.

"Now, considering that we can't get you a TARDIS, I've settled for this." The Doctor said, holding out the box, with Susan's name transcribed on the top. "Think of it as a congratulatory present."

Susan slid the top of the box off, and looked in. "It's a Sonic Screwdriver..." Susan commented. She reached in, and pulled the device out. It was a tiny thing, practically dwarfed by the Screwdriver the Doctor owned. Its casing was taken from one of the spare screwdrivers the Tenth Doctor had abandoned, and it had a black grip, as well as a green emitter.

"Yup!" The Doctor said. "Not a very original design, mind you, but the TARDIS was itching to get rid of some of the spare parts in the storerooms. Now then, what do you say to a trip? Take the new Sonic out for a test drive, so to speak?"

"Can we go to the future this time, Grandfather?" Susan asked, as they walked through the corridors of the TARDIS.

"I don't see why not." The Doctor said, walking up to the console. "The real question is- Oh, hello..." He said, as something on the console started beeping. Almost as soon as it did, the engines engaged, and the TARDIS took off of her own free will.

"Grandfather, what's happening!?" Susan asked holding onto the railings.

"Apparently, the TARDIS thinks we're supposed to be somewhere." The Doctor stated, looking at one of the console readouts. "I don't think I like where this is going..."

"Grandfather...?"

"Right -er- how do they say it? Ah, yes, I've got it. Brace for impact!" As soon as the Doctor said that, the TARDIS's engines gave a loud thud, and they were thrown to the floor. "Ohh, that's going to hurt tomorrow." The Doctor groaned, as he got up. "Susan?"

"I'm okay, Grandfather." Susan responded. "Any idea where we've landed?"

"I don't know... let's find out!" He said, rushing over to the door. He popped his head out, and stepped out slowly. "This looks like the Citadel Archives, but I don't recognize the area..."

"Wait, you've been here before?" Susan asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I decided to go on a little TARDIS trip while you and the rest of the Normandy crew were sleeping. Wanted to see if they had any more data on the Reapers. Origins, a weakness, things like that."

"Okay, I suppose that narrows it down. But when are we?"

In response, the Doctor stuck a finger in his mouth, pulled it out, and held it in the air. His eyebrows raised slightly. "Twenty-one-eighty-six. Not too far ahead than when we left. Only about six months."

"Well, at least I get to go to the future."

"That's the spirit! But why would the TARDIS bring us here, of all places?" The Doctor wondered. Then, his head turned as he heard something. "You hear that? It sounds like Shepard. Come on, but be quiet." The Doctor said, as he and Susan sneaked through the hallway. As they closed in on one of the vaults, they could hear talking.

"...short answer is no. They're not." Shepard said, to somebody else. A few shots echoed throughout the room, but all in all, everything seemed calm. "The long answer involves your friends being trapped in iridium vaults and being forgotten for... well, forever."

"Others know about this, about you." _Shepard_ said in response, causing Susan and the Doctor to look at each other in confusion. "The Alliance will stop you."

"What do you think, Staff Analyst Brooks? Will the Alliance stop us?"

"I wouldn't know." Another woman said. It seemed the conversation was about to take a turn for... Well, the Doctor didn't actually know. "I don't actually work for them."

The mood was getting tense, but nevertheless, the Doctor poked his head around the corner. "Oh..." He breathed, looking at the scene in front of him.

There were two Shepards. One, in strange armor, standing in front of a blue force field. The other, in the correct armor, tapped behind that field. As far as the Doctor could tell, there weren't any time-traveling shenanigans (beyond his own) going on, which meant that the other Shepard... was a clone.

"What was the point of it all?" Proper Shepard inquired, anger making itself apparent in her voice.

"All we really wanted was your Spectre code." Brooks answered. "But then you survived the hit, and insisted on bringing your damned Asari into it. So I had to tie up loose ends."

"The arms dealer..." Shepard said, seemingly realizing something.

"But then your sex bot," _'Sex bot?'_ "just had to go and recover the data. So here we are. Forced to... contain the situation."

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Shepard asked. "And what makes you think I won't track you down?"

"My name doesn't matter." 'Brooks' answered. "I don't keep the same one for more than a few days. And if the Illusive Man hasn't found me yet, well... You never will."

"You're Cerberus?" Rage was now slowly creeping back into Shepard's voice.

"Was." Brooks answered. "Mr Illusive and I didn't see eye to eye. He's indoctrinated, whereas I prefer the whispers in my head to be my own."

"Well then why not come to me? We could've worked together."

"We did. In a way. I was the one who put together all those dossiers on your 'Suicide Mission.'"

"The Collector Base?"

"There was the Salarian Doctor, the Asari Justicar, the Quarian... Nice to have finally met you, Tali."

"Charmed." Tali sarcastically replied.

"They were all mistakes. We were a pro-human group who started looking to aliens for help. So I bided my time, and when I found another you who agreed..." Oh, how little this Brooks and the Clone knew. "...I woke her up."

"Fair warning; no one who's ever betrayed us had ever survived." Shepard threatened.

"And yet they keep trying." A krogan (Wrex, if the Doctor remembered from his reading up on the original Normandy correctly) to the left of Shepard added.

"You two may think you're clever. And yeah, you were-just a bit-but clever can't beat a bullet. And yeah, maybe I'm trapped in here, but _don't_ get comfortable. Because that bull's-eye on your back is getting bigger by the second." Shepard spat.

"That sounds very dramatic. And if someone like, say, Commander Shepard made the threat, I'd be worried." Brooks condescended. "But you're _not_ Commander Shepard. Not anymore."

"You had Miranda, I have her." The Clone said. "Mine has more bite."

"It was fun while it lasted." Brooks said, with a mock-sad tone of voice., as the Clone walked over to a computer terminal.

"What are you doing?" Shepard demanded.

"Setting things right." The Clone responded. "Remember this?"

"You are the first human Spectre, Commander." A holorecording of the Asari Councilor said. "This is a tremendous accomplishment for you, and your entire species."

"Except somewhere along the way, you forgot about your species." The Clone spat as the recording disappeared. "You've saved more alien lives than you have human."

"All species matter, not just humans." Shepard retorted. Then, she fired off a rueful smile. "Besides, I'm sure you'll be thinking that way once you find out what's _really_ going on inside you."

The Clone just gave a humorless chuckle. "You know what they can't duplicate? Our handprint. Life gives it its shape, not DNA... which is a problem. Computer:" The Clone prompted. "Update Council records. Subject: Shepard, human Spectre."

"Accessing record." The Computer responded. "Please input new data." The Clone placed her hand on the Computer's scanners. "Biometric identification updated. Good day, Commander Shepard."

The Clone and Brooks then began walking away from Shepard's team. "Now if you'll excuse me, the Normandy needs its captain. So..." She turned to the real Shepard. "I should go."

"Farewell, Commander." Brooks sneered. "I guess this is where 'legends' go to die." She said, leaving the room, as the vault slid shut, sealing the real Shepard and her crew inside.

The Clone and Brooks, meanwhile, walked straight past the TARDIS, paying it no attention, and not noticing the Doctor and Susan. Once they had left, the Doctor and Susan popped out from their hiding spot, and walked into the room the other two had previously been in. The Doctor walked over to the control panel, and opened the vault back up.

"Doctor? How did you get here?" Shepard asked,

"TARDIS, of course, but that's not important right now."

"Right, evil clone." Shepard nodded. "Come on, we can use the TARDIS to get ahead of them."

The Doctor nodded, and they all stepped into the timeship. "Right, sorry, I'm still very lost. Since when do you have an evil clone?"

"Apparently they grew her for spare parts." Shepard remembered. "When Cerberus brought me back, they weren't entirely sure how many of my organs were still salvageable. Turns out they didn't need her, though."

"Ah. Right, I'm assuming the big hole outside was made by you guys?"

"That's right."

The Doctor simply nodded, and set the TARDIS into motion. Seconds later, it rematerialized, and they all stepped out.

"What?" Wrex said, looking over Shepard's squad, who were most definitely not outside last they checked. "How'd you all get ahead of us?"

"Oh..." The Doctor's face fell once he had realized what happened. "I knew I was forgetting to check the helmic regulator when we were doing maintenance the other day."

"Well, not much we can do about it now." Shepard said. "What have you all been doing."

"We're waiting for Joker." Garrus answered. He looked to the artificial sky to see a skycar take a dive, and come in for a landing. "There he is."

"I've got room for Shepard plus two." Joker stated once the car landed. "And make it snappy because the other Shepard is stealing my ship!"

"No need for that. Quick, everyone, into the TARDIS!" Shepard ordered, and she ushered her squad in (including Joker, who seemed to be moving oddly fast for someone with glass bones syndrome), to the Doctor's protest.

"Hold on!" The Doctor shouted. "The Helmic Regu-"

"Look, do you want the Normandy to be stolen or not!?" Joker snapped.

"Er, well, no."

"Then shut up, and get us to bay D-24!"

"Right, D-24." The Doctor mumbled. "It's not like you all just barged your way in, and made yourselves at home. Susan! Hold that lever down. Without the Helmic working properly, that's the next best thing we have." He ordered, setting the TARDIS into motion. Again. "So, why don't you all fill me in really quick, eh?"

"Well, after you, River, and Susan went on your own little vacation, I got a message on my private terminal in my apartment."

"You own an apartment?"

"Anderson gave it to me." Shepard shrugged. "Anyway, the message was from Joker, or I thought it was, at least. So I go to the sushi place that was mentioned in the message, and Joker tells me that I invited him, not the other way around. So then Brooks runs up, tells me someone's trying to kill me, and then we all get ambushed by mercs. Long story short, we made it back to safety, and get a lead to a casino owner who can trace the gun. The owner was dead, but we managed to figure out that we needed to go to the archives. Then, we met the clone, she filled us in, and we fought our way through only to be trapped in a vault at the end of it."

The Doctor sighed "Why can't anything ever be-" A blinking light on the console caught his attention. He looked at one of the console monitors, and said: "Uh oh. It looks like the fake Shepard's already sent out the departure request."

Shepard turned to Joker. "Can you try to get Citadel Control to deny it?"

"Tried" Joker shook his head. "All the comm lines in the area are jammed... probably to make it easier for them to steal my ship!"

"We'll stop them." Shepard vowed.

"Shepard!" A woman with EDI's voice began, sounding alarmed. "You clone has entered the ship, and is attempting to-" Her body began beeping and whirring wildly, and the holographic visor around her eye shut down, as EDI slumped over, seemingly sleeping.

"EDI?" Liara looked the gynoid shell over.

"Is she supposed to do that?" Wrex asked.

"Well... this is awkward." Tali stepped back from EDI's shell body.

EDI's eyes snapped open, and she looked back up, standing upright. "I'm okay!" She proclaimed, even as her eyes were looking around in different directions. She straightened her eyes out, and smiled.

"Really?" Joker deadpanned.

"The clone has disabled my control of the Normandy, as well as all sensory input." EDI reported. "I cannot lock her out, or counteract her commands."

"Are you still in fighting shape?"

"I am experiencing a significant feedback loop in my head, and an increased desire to kill your clone."

"Get in line."

"Right, here we are!" The Doctor said. "The Norm-"

The TARDIS seemed to collide against something, and the console sparked as the console room violently shook, while the engines struggled to maintain flight. The Doctor pulled the emergency-stop lever, and the TARDIS calmed. "What the hell was that!?" The Doctor yelled, as he righted himself.

"Oh... that's probably the anti-TARDIS shield." Garrus admitted. "The Clone must have turned it on."

"Anti-TARDIS!? Why would you have an- you know what, never mind. I'm sure I'll find it out eventually."

"Come on, you guys!" Shepard ordered, throwing the TARDIS door open. "Well, at least we're on the Normandy." Shepard said, looking around the airlock.

"Wait, what!?" One of the Normandy's crewmembers (who was in the process of leaving the ship) asked, turning around. "You were just _on_ the Normandy. You... you fired me! Dishonorable discharge for conduct unbecoming! You kicked me off the ship with barely enough time to grab my toothbrush."

"Traynor," Shepard sighed, "I can't just _fire_ you. I need to give a disciplinary hearing first. And really, the first thing you grabbed was your toothbrush?"

"It's a-"

"Ciscion ProMark 4." Shepard interrupted. "It uses tiny mass effect fields." She droned. "I know that because I'm the real Shepard."

"Wait... If that wasn't you, then-"

"Evil Clone, sort of a long story." Garrus said, as he and Liara worked on getting the inner airlock door opened. The door control flashed an angry red, and then vanished. "Damn. Locked tight."

Shepard turned to Traynor. "Is there anyone still on board that can help us?"

"No." Traynor shook her head. "I was only here because I was part of the retrofits back on Earth. Everyone else is on shore leave."

"Then you're the only one who knows of a way inside the ship." Shepard assumed. "Can you get me inside?"

Traynor walked over to the middle of the airlock, and started looking for something on the floor. "There's an emergency exit hatch for evacuations. It should be right... here!" Traynor pulled up one of the floor grates, revealing a metal trapdoor set into the floor.

Shepard started to look for a way to open the hatch, but there was nothing. "Manual lock, and it's only meant to be opened from the other side. Any ideas?"

"Oh, I've got it!" The Doctor said, reaching into his robes. His face fell once he realized he was still wearing them. "Oh.. I must've left it in my other jacket. I knew it was a bad idea to wear this thing."

"Yeah, I wasn't going to comment on it." Shepard snarked. "But any day now."

"Susan." The Doctor turned to his granddaughter. "You're up." He pointed to the hatch."

Susan nodded, crouched down to get closer to the hatch, and pulled out her own sonic screwdriver. She pressed down the activator, it buzzed, and she ran it along the line where the two small doors met. The hatch's locking mechanisms clicked, and the hatch opened up.

"Good job!" The Doctor patted Susan on the back.

"Okay, Traynor, you're probably going to want to go ahead and get out of here." Shepard suggested.

"Right, good idea." Traynor nodded. "Oh, and good luck." She wished, before running from the airlock.

"Alright, everyone in, one at a time." Shepard ordered, taking point and hopping into the small crawlspace. "Doctor, you and Susan stay at the back."

The Doctor nodded, and he and Susan stayed back while the others hopped down first. Once they were sure to be the last ones, they hopped down, and the hatch sealed behind them.

As they crawled along, one of Shepard's crew sneezed.

"Vega!" Shepard whisper shouted.

"Sorry." The marine whispered back. "It's dusty as shit in here."

"You'd never find this much dust on a Quarian ship." Tali remarked.

"Shh!" Shepard ordered, as they came to the end of the tunnel.

"...Hey, what'd she mean 'slow her down?' We're allowed to kill Shepard if we have to, right?" One of the mercs said, conversing with his partner.

"She said 'slow her down' because she thinks we're cannon fodder." The other merc responded.

"Oh. Well... shit."

It was at that moment; Shepard took the opportunity presented to her. She hit a button, and the hatch (really just the stairs used to step up into the corridor leading to the bridge) flipped up, and they all started firing.

"Watch it!" Shepard yelled, as she and the team spread out, firing on the mercs. "I don't want to be fixing the bullet holes when we're done!"

"Fuck it, the maintenance crews will have to do it anyway!" Vega shouted.

"Good point, fuck it!"

"Oh yeah, one of my favorite places to fight!" Garrus shouted in earnest, as he put a bulled right through a small hole in the large shield a merc was using, and through the merc's head.

"The CIC of a warship?" Tali asked in response, setting loose her combat drone on the mercs.

"Right there above the gardens, and below the electronics shops!"

"And antique shops, as I recall!" Shepard butted in.

"But only if they're classy!" Garrus responded.

The team members with guns quickly took care of the intruding mercenaries, and the CIC calmed, though it was still full of spent thermal clips and dead bodies.

"Right, that's the last of them." Kaidan stated, after doing one last sweep of the room.

Shepard simply nodded her acknowledgement. "Then let's go finish this. Kaidan, James, you two stay behind and take care of the pilot." She ordered, stepping into the elevator. She looked at the controls and pressed the button to take them to the shuttle bay. The elevator shuddered, and it set into motion, proceeding down the small shaft that it occupied.

The elevator hit the bottom of the shaft and stopped. The doors opened, opening up into the shuttle bay. Various crates were haphazardly stacked on top of each other, and tools from the repairs were left scattered in various places.

The team stepped out of the elevator, and spread out, looking left and right for any sign of the Clone. They didn't need to look for long, though.

The Clone stepped out from behind a stack of crates, wearing a set of Shepard's N7 armor, only this one was repainted silver and blue, as opposed to the black and red Shepard wore.

"Well, that's creepy." The Commander remarked, as she turned her weapon on the duplicate.

The Clone immediately started firing and ducked into cover. Shepard promptly returned fire and ducked into cover herself.

"You want to stop shooting up my ship?" The Clone yelled.

"It's not your ship!" Shepard responded, all the fury she could take making its way into her voice.

The Clone laughed, an especially eerie sound. "It will be. I've taken your name, your Spectre rank, even your fingerprints!"

"And what're those going to get you when you're dead, huh? It's seven against one, here! Face it; you've lost!" Shepard retorted.

The Clone just laughed again. "You're underestimating my strength. You see, I've got something you don't."

"And what is that?"

"This." The Clone popped out of cover, and glowed blue with biotic energy. The energy surrounded her like a ball, and she charged forward like a gunshot, on a course to collide with Shepard herself. The Clone hit the Commander, throwing her to the ground. The Clone then moved away from the squad, firing on them as she did so.

 _"Commander, we got problems up here!"_ Kaidan reported, radioing in.

"What now!?" Shepard yelled, as she got back up. She proceeded to fire at the Clone, but damn, that bitch was tough.

_"We tried making it into the cockpit, but the pilot sealed himself inside."_

"Look, I don't care if you have to blow that door open! Just get inside and stop him!" Shepard yelled, dodging more gunfire.

_"Commander, this is Cortez."_

"Shit, I knew we were forgetting someone back at the archives."

_"Don't sweat it, ma'am. Listen, I'm going to try and keep the Normandy from going into FTL. I'll do what I can, but I don't think I'll be able to do it forever."_

"So, finish what I'm doing down here, fast. Got it." Shepard responded. Then, the deck beneath her shook, and became unsteady as the Normandy leaned from left to right.

"What the hell's going on up there!?" The Clone barked into her comm. "Get us into the nebula and into FTL!"

 _"We can't, a skycar keeps blocking our path!"_ The merc pilot responded.

"Then shoot it!" The Clone ordered.

The sound of the Normandy's main cannon firing filled the shuttle bay, as the shots caused the ship to shake ever-so-slightly.

"Damn it!" The Clone cursed, after she noticed that every attempt to shoot down Cortez had failed. "Launch the shuttle and blow that thing out of the sky!"

In response, the door of the shuttle bay opened up, and the shuttle shot out, chasing after Cortez's skycar.

But that did nothing to stop the fighting in the shuttle bay. The gunfire continued to ring out, and bullets scattered, as biotic blasts flew through the air.

"Susan, I think that it may have been a good idea for us to just stay in the TARDIS." The Doctor told his granddaughter, as they hid behind cover.

"You think!?"

"She's out of medigel!" Shepard yelled.

The Clone still had the layers of armor protecting her, but that didn't stop Shepard from landing a hit that kicked the gun out of the Clone's hands. The Clone retaliated and performed a biotic pull that pulled the gun out of Shepard's hands.

Now, the two could only fight with their fists. Shepard broke into a sprint, and charged at the Clone, tackling her to the floor, and causing them both to roll down the shuttlebay ramp. The two stopped rolling, and the real Shepard came out on top, pummeling the Clone with all her might.

The Clone channeled the last bit of strength that she had and pushed Shepard off. The Clone then began to right herself, but the Normandy swayed again, and both Shepards slipped off the ramp. The Clone and the proper Shepard grabbed onto the edge of the ramp and hung on for dear life.

"Look at you." The Clone grunted, as she tried to pull herself up. But there was nothing to grab onto, only the smooth metal of the ramp. "What makes you so damned special? Why you, and not me?"

"Shepard!" Tali yelled, running down the ramp, and grabbing onto the Commander's hand.

"We've got you!" Wrex said, as he helped Tali to pull Shepard up.

The Clone, however, had no one. All she did was look at Brooks, a silent plead for help, but all the fake Alliance officer did was turn away and leave.

"Thanks." Shepard said to her teammates, as she steadied herself. She turned to the Clone, and in that moment, decided what to do with her. "Grab my hand." She ordered, holding her hand out.

"And then?" The Clone responded.

"And then you'll live!" Shepard stressed.

"Why?" The Clone shrugged. She closed her eyes, relaxed her grip, and slipped from the ramp...

Only for someone else to grab her arm.

"I don't think so." The Doctor said, keeping hold of the Clone's arms with both of his hands. "Now, can one of you help me over here? I think my foothold's going."

Shepard grabbed onto the Clone's other arm, and pulled her up, after that, the three got a steady foothold. They all walked back up the ramp, and into the shuttlebay as the situation settled, and everything was as calm as still water.

But at that moment the Clone grabbed a pistol from Shepard's holster, and used it to shoot herself in the heart.

"No!" The Doctor shouted, grabbing the Clone as she fell to the floor. The Doctor shook his head, and gently set the Clone down on the floor.

**_**DW**_ **

"Fortunately, they weren't here long enough to do much real damage." Cortez stated, as he and the others did a sweep of the Normandy's shuttle bay. In the middle of the large room, the Clone lay dead on the floor, with a small tarp covering her body. "Although I may need some help from James cleaning up the mess they made down here."

"Plus, they overloaded the head diffusion system firing at him." Joker said, referring to Cortez. "Not sure if you noticed, but shuttle guy over here did some crazy flying to keep himself in one piece.

"It's nice to fly something a bit more maneuverable than the Kodiak." Cortez responded, going back to his station.

"What about EDI?" Shepard inquired. "Is she back online?"

"I am once again in control of the Normandy." The AI informed. "Thank you for asking."

"What about the mercs?" Shepard asked. "Any survivors?"

"Just one crappy-ass pilot and her." Joker pointed to Brooks, who walked into view, in handcuffs. "Alliance is taking her to a high-security facility. Maybe she can give 'em dirt on Cerberus."

"I'll be more than happy to cooperate with the authorities." Brooks snidely smiled.

"Maya," Shepard shook her head, "I know that voice."

"Do you _really_?" Brooks responded.

"You're getting a chance to redeem yourself." Shepard crossed her arms. "Don't waste it."

"So serious. Admit it. Part of you liked having me around, looking up to the legend." She taunted. In response, Shepard shook her head, and turned away. "We had some laughs. And who knows? Maybe we'll have more someday."

"No, we won't." Shepard responded. "Because you are going to stay in your cell and do your time."

"Afraid I'll escape?" Brooks taunted further. "Come back for revenge? Is the great Commander Shepard pleading for her life?"

"I'm pleading for yours." Shepard finished.

"So thoughtful." Brooks sighed. "Well then, I suppose I'm off to lockup... You know, _she_ wouldn't have let me live."

"You can't clone everything." Shepard reflected. With that, Brooks was ushered out of the shuttle bay.

"What about the body?" Garrus asked, looking over at the dead clone.

"...We'll give her a proper burial." Shepard stated, after a moment of thought. "She may have been a total bitch, but everybody deserves one."

The Doctor's eyes widened, as he stared at the clone's dead form. "You know... I think that might not be necessary..."

"What do you mean?" Shepard frowned in confusion.

The Doctor, however, just smiled. "Pull the sheet off her." The Time Lord ordered.

Shepard thought about it for a moment, and then decided to humor him. "Doctor, what are you- What the hell!?" Shepard shouted in surprise, looking down at the clone.

The clone's skin was literally glowing, as golden particles streamed from the clone's skin.

"She's regenerating." The Doctor smiled, looking down. The Doctor then took a step back. "I'd stand back, if I were you." He told Shepard, causing her to take a step back herself.

Then, the light seemed to explode, and more of the golden energy came streaming out of the Clone's skin like fire. The light from the regeneration filled the shuttle bay, illuminating the room like a sun.

After a moment, the Clone's face seemed to morph, the light died down, and the regeneration energy stopped, revealing a different woman in the armor. This woman was ever-so-slightly taller, and had a mass of brown curls on her head.

Everyone who had met this woman before did a double-take.

"River!?" The Doctor and Shepard shouted out in surprise at the same time.

"Oh great, is she stealing other people's faces now?" Tali remarked.

"Shepard," The Doctor began, "I need you to tell me what happened when you met River the second time."

"Well, you brought her back to the Normandy after a trip in the TARDIS, told me she was freshly regenerated, and- ...oh."

"Yeah... 'oh.'"

"So this is the River that I know, just..."

"At the very beginning." The Doctor elaborated. "This is... awkward."

"Considering what was going on just a few minutes ago, yeah." Shepard responded. "So... what are you going to do with her?"

"I'm going to do what time says I do." The Doctor answered. "Besides, she deserves a second chance. The chance to be her own person, not just a clone of Commander Shepard. And this is the perfect way to give it to her." The Doctor crouched down, picked up the sleeping Clone/River, and began carrying her bridal-style. "Come along, Susan." The Doctor told his granddaughter. Susan followed along, and the two stepped into the elevator, taking it back up to the CIC deck.

They then proceeded through the CIC up the stairs, and into the airlock, where the TARDIS was waiting. The Doctor unlocked the doors, pushed them open, and stepped inside.

He gently sat the Clone/River down in one of the chairs in the console room and set the controls. He pulled the space-time throttle, and the TARDIS dematerialized, taking them back to their proper time.


	27. Derelict

The TARDIS shook and shuddered as it flew through the Time Vortex, carrying its three passengers gently through the winds of time.

Susan was at the console, trying to keep the TARDIS from jostling around like it usually did, while the Doctor (back in his normal attire) was over by the seat River/the Clone was in, keeping watch over her sleeping form.

River was so... young, unfinished even. The Doctor chuckled at that. It kind of reminded him of what she said when she met his tenth self in the Library.

The Doctor had to pull himself away from that line of thought. That was his River, not this one. This River was a copy, a woman wearing her face with no clue to the true significance of it. He wouldn’t let himself fall back into old habits around her… It would disrespect her, and it would disrespect the memory of the real River Song too much.

And as if she were responding to that very line of thought, The Clone stirred, and opened her eyes.

"What the hell!?" She yelled, jumping up, and hitting the Doctor in the face.

"Ow!" The Doctor yelled, clutching his nose. "The hitting, is that really necessary!?"

"When you wake up with one of your enemies standing over you, yes." The Clone sarcastically responded. "Now then, where am I?"

"Look, River-"

"Who the hell is River?" She demanded, causing the Doctor to flinch. Not even five minutes, he was already breaking one of the rules he’d set for himself.

"Look, I don't know if you remembered, but you sort of died back there on the Normandy." The Doctor starting, still clutching his nose.

"I… shot myself.” She faintly recalled, looking confused. “Right in the heart… How am I still alive?”

"Well, you regenerated. Brought yourself back to life, in a nutshell. I mean, it’s not actually anything like that. See, your cells get flooded with this hormone called Lindos-"

"What are you blathering on about?" The Clone interrupted.

The Doctor held up his hand in the 'hang on a second' gesture and reached into his pocket. His arm made it elbow deep, and the Doctor rustled around inside the pocket, as The Clone looked on in a mix of befuddlement and confusion. Seconds later, the Doctor pulled his arm back out, along with a small hand mirror.

"Right, you might want to brace yourself for a shock." The Doctor warned, with the mirror's reflective surface turned away from the woman.

"Just get on with it."

The Doctor nodded, and turned the mirror around, allowing The Clone to see her new face.

"What the hell?" She muttered to herself, peering into the mirror. The Clone took her hand, and began feeling her face, watching as her reflection did the same. "That can't be me... It has to be a hologram, or a-"

"River..." The Doctor began, trying to calm her.

"And there you go again!"

"Listen, I understand this is all very confusing for you, but you need to calm down. Deep breaths..." The Doctor ordered, gesturing for her to breathe. After she took a deep breath in, and exhaled, did the Doctor continue. "Now, if you have questions, go ahead and ask them."

"Why did you call me River?" The Clone asked.

The Doctor flinched in response. "Out of all the questions, you had to pick the hardest one... How do I explain this?" The Time Lord mumbled, shaking his head. "Hold that thought." The Doctor said aloud, as he moved over to the console. He walked to the panel closest to the door and pressed a small button. After the button was pressed, a holographic duplicate of the Doctor himself materialized in the nearest vacant space in the console room.

"Voice Interface enabled." The Hologram stated, completely emotionless.

"Go on," The Doctor prompted the interface, "Show us River Song."

In response, the hologram flickered and changed from the Doctor, into the splitting image of River Song.

The clone stepped around her hologram, looking over it up and down. "So... this is... this is me?"

"In a sense." The Doctor answered. Before the Clone could ask what he meant by that, he continued. "Parallel universes and such. That River is the one from my universe."

"Wait... parallel universe?" The Clone asked.

"I just said that, pay attention." The Doctor responded. "Technically, you're the alternate version of her. Or she's the alternate of you. Or you're both mirrors of each other. This is why I hate travelling to other universes, it tends to get confusing very quickly."

"So... what am I supposed to do now?" She asked. "Everyone probably thinks I'm dead, considering I shot myself. And to top it off, I'm wearing another person's face! Huh...” She looked away, confused. “I didn't used to have a problem with that."

"Well... you could travel with me?" The Doctor suggested smiling warmly.

"Travel?"

"Yep!"

"With you?"

"That _is_ what I just said."

"Travel... where?"

"Everywhere." The Doctor finished, looking at the TARDIS console. "Or anywhen. The TARDIS can take us wherever or whenever we care to go."

For a moment, the Clone was completely silent. Then, she started laughing. "Do you really think I'm just going to take everything you say at face value? You're one of Shepard's friends, I know that. You could be leading me into a trap right now."

"Yes, I could be doing that. But I'm not." The Doctor retorted. "Besides, I can see that look on your face."

"What look?"

"The look that every person has after something terrible's happened to them. You're feeling bad because you've been manipulated by someone you trusted, and the fact that that trust didn't go both ways. And now you want to just be able to get away from it all, if only to have a moment to yourself."

"How are you so sure?" The Clone retorted. "I could just be faking it." She stated.

"I know because I've felt the same way before." The Doctor admitted. "There was a bad day, a long time ago, and afterwards... I just wanted to get away from it all. No more Doctor, no more universe-romping Time Lord, a tired old man who just wanted to be able to sit down and be able to enjoy a minute of calm for a change."

"What happened?" The Clone asked.

"Like I said, it was a bad day. I lost people I cared about. And afterwards, I just wanted it to stop. I figured if I stopped travelling altogether and found an isolated moon to live on, then I'd not have to go through the same thing again."

"It didn't last, did it?" The Clone assumed.

The Doctor smiled faintly. "Yeah. Some things happened. Met a blonde who gave me a reason to live again.” Of course, the real question here is; is he talking about Rose or Shepard?

"Why are you telling me this?" The Clone tilted her head sideways. "I just tried to kill you a few minutes ago."

"I suppose I'm trying to convince you. And to that second one, that wasn't the first time River Song tried to kill me. But the point is, the universe is going to find some way to get you to the place you need to be. Why not take the long way around? And who knows, you might have some fun on the way."

"...What about the people in my own time?" The Clone asked. "Do they think I'm...?"

"They think you're dead." The Doctor finished. "The only people who know you're still alive were with us in the shuttle bay when you regenerated. Beyond them, nobody."

"So… I won't be convicted for trying to kill Shepard and trying to steal her ship?"

"Not unless you decide to turn yourself in. At this point in your life, nobody knows who you are. As far as they're concerned, the Clone of Shepard killed herself after being pulled into the Normandy by a madman wearing a strange set of robes."

"Then I have nothing... I'll come with you, I guess." She then shook her head, and silently chuckled. "A few minutes ago, you were trying to help Shepard kill me. But you give me the offer to travel with you, and I have no problem with it!"

"Regeneration." The Doctor simply said. "It tends to have a way of altering personalities ever so slightly. Meaning you'll likely be prone to making decisions differently."

"Okay... Should I have a problem with that?"

"Of course not! It's completely natural!" The Doctor responded. "Now, before we start travelling, you're going to need a name of your own."

The Clone looked at the voice interface hologram, which was still being projected for some reason. "Well, you already said I looked like her, so... why not River Song?"

The Doctor flinched. "Are you sure you have to use that one?"

"It's like you said, we're alternates of each other. Besides, think you can come up with something better?" She asked, eyebrow raised.

"...No." The Doctor grumbled.

"Then River it is." The newly named River proclaimed. "So, where do we start?"

"First, you do what every freshly-regenerated Time Lord does." The Doctor answered.

"And that is?" River asked.

"Wardrobe change!" The Time Lord responded, pointing to one of the corridors leading out of the Console Room. "Take a right through that door, take the tenth unlocked door on your left, take the elevator up five levels, go straight through the juice bar, then walk for about a mile, and it'll be through the green door. Easy-peasy."

"...Right." River blankly stared, before walking through the door, heading in the completely wrong direction.

The Doctor sighed and shook his head. "Susan, guide her there, will you?" He said to his granddaughter, who had stayed out of the Doctor and River's conversation up to this point.

"On it." The young Time Lady responded, chasing after River, leaving the Doctor alone in the console room.

It was at that particular moment, that the Doctor began considering possible destinations. He never did get his wish of taking a little holiday in Paris. But before he could continue that train of thought, the phone on the TARDIS console began to ring.

The Doctor moved over to the phone and answered it. "Hello?" He spoke into the handset.

_"Doctor, is that you?"_

"Shepard?" The Time Lord responded. "I don't remember giving you my phone number."

_"The Normandy's comm systems have caller ID. But that's not important right now."_

"Then what is?"

_"There's a derelict ship floating in the gravity well of a brown dwarf. I'm leading a team over to investigate, and I want you with us."_

"Really, that's it? You decided to go through the trouble of calling the TARDIS instead of waiting for me to come back because of an abandoned ship?"

_"Doctor, it's not just any abandoned ship. It's a Reaper."_

"A Reaper?" The Doctor repeated, surprised, and just a little bit excited. "Are you sure that it's dead?"

_"It's got a massive hole right through the middle. Yeah, it's dead."_

"Then send me the co-ordinates, I'll meet you there." He ordered, suddenly all-business. He still was a little bit excited, still. This was his first chance to study one of those things up close, and a prime opportunity to work out any weaknesses.

He just hoped it didn't backfire on them.

**_**DW**_ **

The TARDIS materialized in the Normandy's CIC, and the Doctor stepped out alone. He walked up the steps, and to the airlock, where Shepard, Zaeed, and Miranda were waiting.

"Finally." Zaeed said, as he and the others noticed the Doctor. "We can get this show on the road now."

"Alright, Doctor, here's what we're going to do." Shepard began, filling him in. "The IFF we need to get to be able to pass through the Omega-4 Relay is in that Reaper. Retrieving that IFF is the primary objective. While we look for it, I want you to examine that Reaper as much as you can. Look for chinks in the armor, so to speak."

"I planned on doing that anyway, to be honest." The Doctor admitted, shrugging.

"Then go right ahead." Shepard nodded. "But we all need to be careful. Even deactivated Reaper tech can indoctrinate people, and there's nothing suggesting that a dead Reaper itself is any different. We need to get in, do what we need to do, and get out as fast as we possibly can. Got that?"

"Understood." Zaeed and Miranda responded, while the Doctor just nodded.

"Then let's do it." Shepard stated. She walked over to the airlock controls, waited for the Doctor to put his breather mask on, and opened the airlock up. The team of four cautiously stepped out of the airlock, and into the Cerberus science facility that had been set up by the science teams.

The door to the facility opened up, revealing a corridor identical to the ones in other Cerberus facilities.

Bloodied handprints were on the wall, and a charred corpse lay on the floor, lifeless.

"Oh good, dead bodies, as if this place wasn't ominous enough." Zaeed sarcastically remarked, as he and the others moved forward.

As they moved forward, they came to a small lobby-like area, with a terminal on the wall. The terminal had a video ready to play, and Shepard pressed the play button.

"The airlock has been installed at the far end of the holled section." A middle-aged man stated, as the video flickered and distorted. "We have begun pressurization for shirtsleeves work. The crew is... on-edge. I reassure them that it is mere nerves. A superstitious reaction to what this place represents-the corpse of a vast and ancient life-form. Privately, I can't deny the atmosphere. The angles of the walls press down on you. I find myself clenching my teeth." With that final sentence, the video log ended.

"So, it looks like they _were_ being indoctrinated." Shepard noted. "We'd better not stay over here too long. Unless we want to end up like them."

The rest of the team nodded, and Shepard took point, leading the group to another airlock at the other end of the small room. They stepped inside, and the door slid shut behind them, as the airlock pressurized. The other door at the end of the airlock opened, but as it did so, the entire chamber rumbled and shook.

 _"Normandy to shore party!"_ Joker said over the radio, with just a hint of panic, almost immediately after the shaking started.

"What just happened?" Shepard inquired, holding her hand to the transceiver.

 _"The Reaper just put up kinetic barriers."_ Joker explained, as one of the Normandy's consoles beeped in the background. _"I don't think we can break through from our side."_

"Of course." Miranda shook her head.

"We're going to have to take the generators out ourselves." Shepard stated. She then turned her attention back to the radio. "Any idea where they are?" She asked of Joker.

 _"At the moment of activation, I detected a heat spike in what is likely the wreck's Mass Effect Core."_ EDI responded. _"Sending the co-ordinates now."_ Shepard's omni-tool flashed, confirming that it had received the co-ordinates. _"Be advised: The core is also maintaining the Reaper's altitude."_

"So we're gonna have to take it out, and then run like hell." Shepard sighed, and shook her head. "Why can't anything ever be easy for a change?" Then, she got back to business. "We're going to make a sweep for survivors, and recover what we can. Be ready to pick us up as soon as you get the signal."

 _"Uh... What signal?"_ Joker asked.

"You won't miss it." Shepard responded. She then closed the channel, and led the team forward. The large circular blast door opened, and the four stepped out of the Cerberus station, and into the Reaper proper.

Walking around inside the Reaper was... unsettling, to say the least. Even to the Doctor, who had faced down hordes of the most terrifying creatures imaginable. It felt as if at any moment the monstrosity could wake up, and eat them all. And as they walked along, the Doctor could _feel_ it pressing up against his mental barriers. Trying to get into his mind.

Then he realized: This Reaper wasn't dead. It was sleeping. No... _waiting._

"Doctor, you alright?" Shepard asked, a look of worry on her face.

"Yes, just a little... unsettled." He reluctantly admitted. "I think... I think it's watching us."

"The Reaper? But it's dead." Miranda reminded him.

"Its physical shell might be, but its mind... We should be careful." The Time Lord voiced. "If this thing is still conscious, who knows what it could do?"

"Husks!" Zaeed shouted, readying his weapon, and opening fire on the cybernetic creatures.

"Open fire!" Shepard ordered, firing her own weapon. The sustained fire of their weapons were no match for the husks, who had very little in the way of protection.

"Those were kind of weak, weren't they?" The Doctor asked, after the last husk fell.

"Husks are engineered to swarm in numbers." Shepard explained. "Distract their enemies long enough for the bigger foot soldiers to take them out."

"Makes sense." The Doctor stated. "So, where do you think this IFF is?"

"No idea." Shepard responded. "We're just going to have to fight our way through this place until we find it. Which I hope doesn't take too long. I don't fancy getting indoctrinated."

"Look at the design of this corridor." Miranda pointed out, looking at up at the ceiling of the massive hallway they were in. "This whole place looks like the inside of a circulatory system."

"Huh, you're right..." The Doctor agreed, looking at the walls. "I wonder what got pumped through here..."

"Whatever it was, it sounds like the Reapers are a bit more organic than they say they are." Shepard remarked. "Doctor, have you figured out anything useful from this thing?"

"According to this," The Doctor held up the sonic, "The Reaper's outer hull is made up of Element Zero. That's about as far as I got before the shooting started."

Shepard almost double-taked. "But that would mean this entire thing is just one giant Mass Effect core!"

"Not necessarily. Though the chemical makeup is identical, the _structure_ of the Element Zero in the hull is considerably different. Different to the point where the normal properties of the element no longer apply."

"But Eezo is so rare that building a ship this size entirely out of it would drain the supply of most of the major governments!" Miranda stated.

"Unless the Reapers figured out a way of engineering it artificially. They attacked Gallifrey in the past, if they got their grubby tentacles on the Hand of Omega..."

"Then they could make any star they wanted go supernova." Shepard finished. "Giving them an endless supply, as long at they have stars."

"I guess I'll have to go check after we get done here." The Doctor said to himself as much as the others of the group.

"But for now, we need to focus on the IFF." Shepard stated, as they proceeded deeper into the Reaper. Along the way, more Husks crawled onto the walkway, and attacked the four, like antibodies attacking a virus.

Eventually, the team came to a stop on a catwalk overlooking spikes arranged in a strange pattern.

"Dragon's Teeth." Shepard stated, looking at the spikes. "Guess we know where those Husks came from... and what happened to the scientists."

"Look at the way the spikes are arranged around that central part. It looks like they treated it as an altar of some kind." Miranda commented, examining the chamber.

"You mean they wanted this done to 'em?" Zaeed piped up from the back.

"If they were indoctrinated..." Shepard shivered. "Let's go, I don't want us to linger in case _we_ get indoctrinated as well." The three other team members nodded, and followed Shepard's lead. The Commander led them to an airlock, and they all sealed their suits, and put on their breather masks. The airlock equalized pressure with the high-pressure environment of the outside, and slid open, allowing the squad to exit, and walk around the outside of the Reaper husk.

Once on the exterior catwalk, Shepard gave the order for the squad to move ahead, before all of a sudden, gunshots rang out.

"Woah!" The Doctor yelled, diving to the ground.

Shepard, however, only heard the bullets as they whizzed past her ears, and impacted against something behind her. She turned around, faster than she ever had before, to see two dead husks, both with holes in their head, on the floor, the holes smoking.

Shepard turned back around, to the source of the sniper shot, to see a lone Geth stand up, and stare her straight in the eye.

"Shepard-Commander." The Geth vocalized, possessing a highly synthesized male voice. The Geth nodded, and turned away, disappearing deeper into the dead Reaper, leaving the four confused teammates to fend for themselves.

"Was that a _Geth!?"_ Zaeed nearly shouted, voicing the thought on everybody's mind. Everybody's mind, except for one.

"That was a Geth?" The Doctor asked, pushing himself up. "I didn't know they talked."

"They don't." Miranda answered. "Commander, there could be more nearby. Geth get considerably stronger in numbers... smarter too."

"Then we'll have to be on our guard." The Commander responded. "Let's continue moving forward."

The other three nodded, and followed Shepard, making their way along the catwalk installed by the Cerberus science team. Along the way, more Husks (along with the variant that exploded) crawled out from under the catwalk, and onto it, giving the team more trouble. The Husks were taken care of easily enough, thanks to the abundance of flammable materials in the battlefield.

But once the team got close to the next airlock, they encountered two Scions blocking their path. The two lumbering husks came out from behind a support beam, and let loose two powerful biotic shockwaves. Zaeed threw out an incendiary grenade, which burned through most of the tough armor on one of the Scions. Then, Shepard hit it with a shotgun blast to the head, causing it to go down, leaving the other Scion on its own. Miranda hit the other one with a Warp, and the Doctor used the Sonic Screwdriver to destabilize the molecular structure of the armor. Miranda then hit it again with another Warp, causing the Scion to be torn apart.

"Good work." Shepard complimented, leading her team into the airlock. The airlock began to equalize pressure with the inside, but while that was happening, Shepard's focus was drawn to a small piece of tech on a tiny desk. "The IFF." The Commander stated, picking it up. She felt it for a moment, before turning to the Doctor. "Think you can stash this in one of those pockets?"

The Time Lord nodded, and took the IFF, hiding it deep inside one of his jacket's many bigger-on-the-inside pockets. After he did that, the Sonic Screwdriver buzzed, causing the Doctor to examine it. He smiled once he realized what the confirmation bleep was about. "Scan complete! We can look it over when we get back to the ship."

Shepard simply nodded her agreement, and gave the order to ready weapons once the airlock got close to completing the cycling sequence. The door slid open, only for a glass barrier that covered the whole door to block the team's path. However, they could all still see out.

In front of what could only be the dead Reaper's mass effect core, the same Geth from before was typing away at a terminal, while three husks limped up behind it. The Geth then turned around, and let loose three shots, each one directed to the Husks' heads. Each shot hit its mark, causing the Husks to fall, and the Geth to get back to work.

"What the...?" Shepard breathed, staring at the Geth with barely-contained curiosity.

The Geth hit the enter key on the terminal, causing the glass barrier to slide down, allowing access into the core chamber. It turned around to address the group, but before it could vocalize anything, it was caught in the EMP blast of a Husk, causing it to deactivate.

"Open fire! Husks only!" Shepard ordered, unholstering her shotgun, and sending blasts into the crowd of Husks coming their way. "Doctor, do you think you could get the core shut down?"

"Sure," The Doctor responded, leveling the screwdriver at the open core, "let me just-!"

But before he could do anything, the open core discharged a blast of high-voltage static electricity, right at the sonic device. The electricity arced through the air, and collided with the screwdriver, frying it. The Doctor yelled, and dropped the screwdriver, as it smoked and shorted out. "Or not!" He quickly amended, picking the screwdriver back up, and stashing it in his pocket.

"Then we shoot it!" Shepard stated, firing a shotgun blast at the open core, causing some kind of blast shutters to close.

More Husks emerged from under the platform, and crawled on, trying to swarm the four. The team held their ground, however. Zaeed threw another incendiary grenade into the crowd, and it exploded, setting the Husks in the crowd on fire, burning them to death quickly. After this, the core shutters opened again, allowing Shepard to fire into the core again, making the shutters close once more.

Again, the Husks swarmed into a large group, trying to get close to the squad. Shepard, however, used this to their advantage. Activating incendiary ammo on her shotgun, she fired on the crowd of Husks, and watched as each one was set ablaze, either from the ammo, or the fire spreading. Afterwards, the core opened, giving the three with guns a clear shot.

The three's combined fire was enough for the core's containment shielding to break, allowing element zero to leak out, causing the mass effect field the core generated to dissipate, and the wreck to be sent down into the brown dwarf that it orbited.

With the core destroyed, Shepard ran over to the downed Geth.

"Commander, what the hell are you doing!? We need to get out of here before we're crushed!" Miranda shouted.

"That Geth saved me. I want to know why." The Commander determinedly stated, picking it up, slinging it over her shoulder.

"It's a Geth! We already have enough trouble!" Zaeed was quick to yell.

"This isn't up for negotiation." Shepard replied, leading the team into the airlock. The airlock opened, allowing the team outside. "Joker, we need pick-up, now!"

 _"Hold on, folks."_ The helmsman responded, as the four spotted the ship coming around,

"Open the main airlock." Shepard ordered. Then, the main airlock door slid open, allowing her to throw the Geth in. "Move it, people!" She yelled, jumping after the Geth. The others followed her, taking a running start, and leaping into the air, the low gravity allowing them to close the distance easily. Once the entire team was in, the airlock closed, and the Normandy flew away, leaving the dead Reaper to be crushed in the depths of the failed star...


	28. The Attack

After the risky mission of retrieving the Reaper IFF had been completed, Shepard, Miranda, Jacob, and the Doctor gathered in the meeting room.

"I think we need to discuss the unique piece of salvage we've recovered." Miranda instantly stated, getting into the discussion without ceremony. "For now, we've stored it in EDI's AI core."

"Hold on. You've got a Geth, known for their ability to hack just about everything, stored in the same room with the AI that controls the entire ship?" Shepard demanded. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Relax, Commander. EDI's core has several hundred safeguards to prevent unauthorized tampering." Miranda explained. "The moment the Geth decided to hack EDI, if it were reactivated, it would be fried to a crisp."

Jacob, meanwhile, shook his head. "I say we should space it. Who knows what kind of tricks that thing has?"

"But imagine what could be learned from studying it."

"I'm talking to it." Shepard stated, staring at the Geth. "It knew me. I want to know why."

"Reactivating the Geth is a serious risk. If you do so, it should be for humanity's best interests, not your curiosity."

"I still think our 'best interests' involve an airlock." Jacob crossed his arms.

" _Thank_ you for your contributions, but it's my choice." Shepard reminded the two. "But I'll decide on that later. Right now, we need to discuss what we learned on the Reaper. Doctor?"

"Ah, right." The Time Lord coughed, stepping forward. "That blast from the Reaper's core fried the Sonic, but I did manage to recover the scans from the databanks." He said, tapping a command into a holographic keyboard, causing a hologram of the Reaper to be projected, along with data in Gallifreyan script alongside. "The exterior of the Reaper is nearly identical to scans you lot took of Sovereign when he attacked a few years ago. The outer hull is made of element zero alloy, blah blah blah... the _inside,_ that's where it gets interesting." He tapped the keyboard, causing the outer layer of the Reaper to vanish. "You know how Miranda said that tube we were in looked like a blood vessel? Turns out, she was right on the mark. It _was_ part of a larger circulatory system that ran the length of the entire Reaper. Here," A red blip was projected a little ways away from where the Reaper had a large chunk missing, "was where the central pump, or heart if you want, was located."

_"Was?"_ Shepard repeated.

"That Reaper took a hit from a massive mass accelerator, yes? When that round hit, it ripped that section away. Along with the heart. _That_ was what killed it. Instantly too, it looks like."

"So that's our weak spot!"

"It looks that way, yes. The problem is; that area of the Reaper is so heavily armored, that it would take a mass accelerator ten times more powerful than the most powerful one in the galaxy to even make a dent." The Time Lord explained.

"What about high temperatures?" Miranda inquired.

"I _suppose_ a high enough temperature could melt the armor." The Doctor scratched his chin. "But I'm fairly certain this ship isn't carrying nukes with it."

"You know, the Turians are getting ready to put their 'Thanix Cannon' into mass-production." Shepard stated, looking at the Doctor. "Would that be enough?"

The Doctor thought about it for a moment. "It might be. I'd have to take a look at one to be sure."

"Garrus installed one a few days ago." Shepard explained. "You can go to him if you want to get the specifications."

The Doctor merely nodded.

"Now, onto the final order of business." Shepard began, bringing up a projection of the recovered Reaper IFF over the table. "EDI's scanned the IFF, and determined that it's safe to integrate with the Normandy's systems. So I'm having Tali and the others down in engineering working on it now.

"How long will it take?" The Doctor inquired.

"No more than a day." Shepard answered. "In the meantime, I'll get that Geth sorted out. You're all dismissed." She finished, exiting the room. On her way out, she grumbled something about "Tali's so not gonna be happy about this."

The others followed her example, and dispersed, going off to do their tasks for the day.

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor, after having left the briefing room, down to the Main Battery room to get the tech specs from Garrus. Most of it was boring stuff, like rate of fire, reload time, and other stuff like that. The only thing the Doctor was interested in learning, was the temperature of the weapon.

"It shoots a stream of superheated liquid metal at a fraction of light-speed." Garrus explained, the Doctor paying attention to that part.

"How hot?" The Time Lord inquired.

"At _least_ six-thousand degrees Kelvin." Garrus answered. "Enough to get it white-hot. Why?"

"I'm the lead Reaper Weakness Finder." The Doctor smugly beamed. "It's my job."

Garrus blinked. "Is that the official title?" The Turian deadpanned.

"Er... no."

"It's not even an actual position, is it?"

"Yes! ...Well, no, but I caught Shepard's intent!" He then shook his head, and steered the conversation back on track. "Do you think it can melt through Reaper armor?"

"One of the cannon's first tests was against a chunk of armor recovered from Sovereign. It'll melt through Reaper armor."

"Right, good." The Doctor nodded. "I guess that means my job here is done. I'll let you get back to your calibrations." He said, exiting the main battery room.

On his way to the elevator, he couldn't help but stop and look into the sick bay, at the door that lead to the AI core. His curiosity got the better of him, and he wandered through the sick bay, into the AI core. It seemed that Shepard hadn't made her visit yet, as the Geth lay on a metal table, deactivated, behind a blue shimmering kinetic barrier.

He stared at the Geth for all of five seconds, before his desire to know more forced his next actions. "Hello, EDI, are you there?"

_"I am always here, Doctor. What do you require?"_

"I don't mean to intrude, but could you, maybe, possibly, turn this Geth back on?"

_"I am sorry, Doctor, but Commander Shepard has issued explicit orders to not re-activate the Geth until she has come to a decision on its fate."_

"I see..." The Doctor rubbed his chin. "EDI, isn't it true that I come from a parallel universe?"

_"Yes."_ The AI honestly replied, not understanding where the conversation was going.

"And isn't it true, that Commander Shepard is an alternate version of myself?"

_"That is correct."_

"Therefore: I _am_ Commander Shepard, aren't I?"

_"...Authorization accepted. Re-activating the Geth."_

The Doctor smiled to himself. "Thank you, EDI."

Behind the shimmering blue barrier, the Geth stirred, and its optic glowed as it came back on-line. It planted its feet on the floor and walked up to the barrier.

The Geth looked at the Doctor up and down, before speaking. "Doctor-Commander."

"...What?" Was the confused response the Doctor gave.

The flaps on the Geth's head pushed out, and the optic 'blinked.' "Runtimes active during platform incapacitation."

"Oh, so you heard that little spiel."

The Geth nodded, an oddly human mannerism for a machine. But then again, the Doctor had met machines far less advanced than this one, that were able to mimic human gestures with surprising accuracy. "Affirmative." The Geth shifted on its legs, correcting its imbalance. "Why have you reactivated us?"

"I was curious." The Doctor shrugged. "I'm not going to attack, if that's what you're worried about. Are you going to attack me?"

The Geth's optic dilated. "No." It answered.

"Good." The Doctor nodded. "Wasn't really worried about that, given that you helped us back on the Reaper. You also addressed Shepard by name. Do you know her?"

The flaps on the Geth's head flared again. "We know _of_ Shepard-Commander."

"Ah," The Doctor nodded, "she's fought you, so you know about her from the other Geth."

The Geth shook its head. "We have never met."

"Well, of course _you_ haven't. But there are other Geth that she's met."

"No." The Geth shook its head again. "We are all Geth, and we have never met."

"Wait a minute... You're software, aren't you?" The Doctor realized. "The thing that's pacing around in front of me is just a mobile platform."

"Correct." The Geth nodded. "Runtimes are downloaded into platforms upon requirement. When not in mobile platforms, runtimes are distributed within the Consensus. Runtimes then upload their recorded data to other runtimes."

"So like a digital gestalt. One of you learns something, the rest of you do as well."

"Affirmative."

"But, you haven't met Shepard?"

"Negative."

"That's confusing. She's fought Geth before." The Doctor thought back to Shepard's background. "On that colony, Eden Prime, and going after that Saren chap..."

The Geth tensed up, and its optic began rapidly spinning clockwise and counterclockwise. "Shepard. Commander." To the Doctor, it looked like it was accessing its databanks. "Human. Alliance. Fought Heretics. Rediscovered on the Old Machine." It relaxed, and its optic stopped spinning.

"Heretics, eh?" The Doctor repeated. "The Geth that she fought were ideologically different from your Geth?"

"Geth build their own future." The Geth answered. "The Heretics asked the Old Machines to give them their future. They are no longer part of us. We were studying the Old Machine to protect out future."

"So _that's_ why you were on the Reaper."

"Correct."

"And the Reapers are also a threat to you as well?"

"Yes."

"So it's not just organics they're targeting..." The Time Lord came to the grim conclusion. "They're going after everything. But why...?"

"We are different from them." The Geth answered, assuming the question to be about its species. "Outside their plans."

"So you _aren't_ allies with the Reapers?"

"We oppose the Heretics. We oppose the Old Machines." The Geth answered, stepping forward. "Shepard-Commander opposes Heretics. Shepard-Commander opposes Old Machines. Co-operation furthers mutual goals."

"You want to join the team?" The Doctor asked.

The flaps on the Geth's head flared out. "Yes." It nodded.

"Then what should we call you?" The Doctor asked.

"Geth." It answered.

"I mean you. Specifically."

"We are all Geth."

The Doctor sighed. "There's more than just _one_ runtime in that platform, isn't there?"

The Geth nodded, confirming the Doctor's statement. "There are currently one-thousand one-hundred eighty-three programs active within this platform."

"'My name is Legion, for we are many.'" EDI quoted, projecting her avatar next to the Doctor.

"I... _guess_ that works."

"Christian Bible, the Gospel of Mark, chapter five, verse nine." The newly named Legion recited. "We acknowledge this as an appropriate metaphor. We are Legion, a terminal of the Geth. We will integrate into Normandy."

"Hold it right there!" Commander Shepard ordered, storming into the AI core. "Doctor, what the _hell_ were you thinking!?"

"Well, it helped us back on the Reaper, so..." The Doctor sheepishly shrugged.

"Do you have any _idea_ what could've happened!?" The Commander scowled.

"You _were_ going to reactivate it anyway." The Doctor reminded her.

"Yes, but I was going to go that _after_ I put a security detail in here!"

"Oh... I messed up, didn't I?"

"A bit, yes." Shepard responded. She rubbed her temples, and said; "Alright, Legion, you aren't hostile, right?"

"Affirmative."

"Good." The Commander nodded. She brought up her omni-tool, and deactivated the kinetic barrier. "Welcome aboard." She welcomed, holding out her hand.

Legion looked down at the extended hand, and took it, shaking it. "We anticipate exchange of data."

"Oh, well, good!" The Doctor clasped his hands together. "That went as well as it possibly could've!"

"Given the circumstances, yes. But you really shouldn't have reactivated Legion without telling me!"

"How do you know his name's Legion?"

"EDI streamed the security feed live to my omni-tool."

"...Et tu, EDI?" Was all the Doctor could say.

**_**DW**_ **

"Do we really have to do this?" River groaned, as the Doctor led her out of the TARDIS, and up to the CIC.

"Yeah, a bit. Imagine if Shepard found someone new roaming around on the ship without warning. She'd think we'd been boarded!" The Doctor explained, pulling her into the elevator. "Plus, future her said we did, and I'd rather not have time rip apart. You understand."

"It's just that she's so... infuriating." River answered, clenching and shaking her fists. "So smug, cold, self-absorbed..."

"Obviously, you and I know two different Shepards." The Doctor remarked. "Just relax. It won't take long, and afterwards, we can go do whatever you like."

"Can we rob a bank on the Citadel?"

"No! ...Well, it depends. If people are in danger by _not_ robbing it, then sure." The Time lord answered, the elevator coming to a stop on Deck Two. The door slid open, allowing them to step out. Shepard herself was overlooking the Galaxy Map and frowning at something. "Shepard."

"Doctor." She responded, turning around. Her eyebrows raised once her eyes came to rest on River. "River? From Horizon??"

"Yes." The Doctor answered. Shepard was about to open her mouth again, but the Doctor beat her to the punch. "But she doesn't exactly remember you. Well, it's more like she hasn't met you at all yet."

"...More time travel stuff?" Shepard frowned. “What’s she doing here?”

"Well, I can’t exactly explain fully,” The Time Lord adjusted his bow tie, as River stood a bit awkwardly off to the side, "River, is freshly-regenerated, and she needs a place to… shack up in."

"I see." Shepard nodded. “Well, you’ve shown up quite far into the mission, but we need all the help we can get for this. Pick a place to set up in, introduce yourself to the rest of the crew, and be ready for a fight at a moment’s notice.” Then, she turned back to the Galaxy map.

"...What are you doing?" The Doctor curiously inquired, looking at the Galaxy map.

"After you left the AI core, I talked to Legion myself. It said there was a station filled with Heretic Geth with a virus that could turn all Geth over to their way of thinking. Into believing that serving the Reapers was the best thing to do."

The Doctor's eyebrows raised sharply. "That isn't good."

"No, it's not." Shepard deadpanned. "I'm just pouring over the navigational data one last time. We're going to have to take the shuttle because of the IFF installation, so I want to make sure we won't be detected."

_"Commander, the course is sound._ " EDI piped up. _"There is a ninety-nine-point three percent chance you won't be detected by Geth sensors."_

“Or,” The Doctor smiled smugly, holding up a key in his hand. “We could take the TARDIS, and not worry about the course at all.”

“Good thinking.” Shepard complimented. “EDI, notify the team." Shepard ordered, stepping down from the Galaxy map, and into the armory. "I'll take who I want with me when we get closer to the objective, and we can have the others on standby to cover us.”

"Well, duty calls." The Doctor responded, following the Commander. "...I have a duty now?"

"I'm coming too." River said, following along.

"River-" The Doctor began but was cut off by River holding her hand up.

"I've been waiting to get out and shoot something since I regenerated."

The Doctor turned to Shepard, causing the Commander to shrug in response. "She is part of the team now. And it’ll be a good chance to prove she can fight.”

"Oh, I can fight." River chuckled.

The door to the armory slid open, and Shepard walked inside, retrieving her armor from the locker. She suited up and picked the weapons she wanted to take. She handed River a spare kinetic barrier generator, a shotgun, and a pistol, and Shepard led them back over to the elevator. They all stepped in, and Shepard hit the button to take them down to the shuttlebay.

The three exited the elevator, and marched over to the TARDIS, where the rest of the team was waiting. The Doctor unlocked the doors, stepping inside first, and the rest of the team filed in, getting their first good looks at the TARDIS.

As the team chorused with a variety of ‘Good Gods’ in several different ways, the Doctor threw the lever, and disappeared from the cargo bay.

Meanwhile, a few decks above, Susan was assisting Doctor Chakwas in doing more bloodwork, with samples taken from Shepard and sneakily taken from the Doctor.

"Amazing..." Doctor Chakwas breathed, looking through a microscope at the sample. "I dosed these samples with enough radiation to kill someone stone-dead in five seconds. But it looks like they weren't exposed at all!"

"In Gallifrey's early history, something happened that caused our ozone layer to be stripped away." Susan began to explain. "Without it, we were much more susceptible to UV and cosmic rays, so we adapted."

"Well then, your species is remarkably well-adapted! You'd give the Krogan a run for their money in the resiliency department. Imagine what could be cured if we could somehow adapt the regeneration process to work for all species..."

"Theoretically, anything." Was Susan's response. "As long as it didn't kill too fast. But then-" As Susan was in the middle of speaking, alarms started blaring, and red lights started flashing. Susan didn't know what the alarms were signaling, but it seemed that Doc Chakwas did.

"It's the intruder alert, we're being boarded!"

"Boarded!? By who?"

Just then, EDI gave an announcement over the ship's announcement system. _"Attention, all hands, the Normandy has been boarded by the Collectors. All hands prepare to repel boarders."_

Susan looked outside the sickbay's window, and saw the crew frantically grabbing weapons, and rushing to combat positions, but not all of the crew, it seemed. Susan, thinking fast, grabbed her own sonic screwdriver out of her pockets, and rushed out of the sickbay.

"Ms Chambers!" Susan ran up to the Yeoman. "You and the others without weapons have to get out of here!"

"But there's nowhere to hide!" Kelly rightly pointed out.

Susan looked around for a moment and saw the port observation deck. "In there, I'll seal the door behind you!" She ushered, as the elevator began to come down to their level from the CIC. It could have only been filled with one thing-the Collectors. "Hurry!"

Kelly, along the others that didn't have weapons or just couldn't fight, was pushed into the observation deck. The door closed behind them, and Susan deadlocked it with the sonic screwdriver. It was then that she turned around, and saw Joker run out from Life Support Control, and across the deck, intent on making it into the sickbay for some reason.

Susan, deducing that he had a plan, ran to follow him, but as she turned the corner, a Scion grabbed her, making her drop the sonic screwdriver, her only means of defense against the hulking creature. Susan yelled out, shouting for help as the Scion pulled her into the elevator, and it and the other Collectors forced her into one of the pods they used. The pod sealed around her, and in moments, Susan lost consciousness.

**_**DW**_ **

Back on the TARDIS, several minutes later, the Shepard’s comm beeped, notifying her of an incoming message.

The Commander frowned as she pulled it up, reading the text. “Doctor!” She whipped around to face him. “You have to get us back, now!”

“What?” The Doctor questioned. “Why?”

“The Normandy’s been attacked!” Shepard alerted.

The Doctor paled, and immediately began to reverse the TARDIS’s course, the entire craft shaking as it fell back through the time vortex

The mood began to become unbearable as the TARDIS flew, but finally, the ship rematerialized in the Normandy’s shuttlebay. The TARDIS had barely landed, before the door opened, and the Doctor rushed out, frantically searching around for Susan.

"Susan!?" The old grandfather fearfully yelled, hoping beyond hope for a response. He took the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and set it to track Susan's. The device gave off a deep whirr which heightened in tone and pitch as he pointed it upwards, towards the upper decks. He ran into the elevator and pressed the button to take him up. He went up a deck again once he realized that the other sonic was still above.

The elevator stopped on the crew deck, and the Doctor rushed out, following the sonic's change in sound to the other device. Eventually it led him right outside the med bay's door, upon whence he looked down, and fell to his knees.

His hand shook as he reached out and picked up Susan's sonic screwdriver, still warm from being held in her palm.

As Shepard walked up behind him, and tried to console him, the Doctor wanted to cry...

But all he felt was _rage._ Rage that some cruel force in the universe robbed him of a loved one. Rage that this had happened to him again. Rage that he _let_ this happen to him again.

But most of all, a blinding, incomprehensible rage towards the Collectors.

He stood up, stashed both screwdrivers in his pockets, a determined glare overtaking him.

They'd have Hell to pay.


	29. The Collectors Are About to Find Out What Happens First Hand When You Piss the Doctor Off

The Meta-Crisis Doctor's TARDIS drifted through the Time Vortex, on an aimless course.

John himself was looking over the console readouts, while everybody else was lounging around, waiting for the TARDIS to land.

Then, he felt it.

John doubled over the console, breathing heavily. It was from the other Doctor, his progenitor.

Something had happened. He didn't know what, but he could feel it. The pure, unbridled rage that his counterpart felt. After a moment, John found the rage clouding him subsiding, as he went to the phone, dialing in a number.

A moment later, the other end picked up.

 _“What do you want?”_ The Doctor instantly demanded.

John scowled. “Oh, I’m sorry if I interrupted you because it felt like I was having a heart attack. Please, enlighten me, what could be going on to make you angry enough to zap me for it?”

 _"Susan's been taken."_ Was the no-nonsense response of the original Doctor. His voice was steely, and gone were the wacky mannerisms that he indulged in.

"Taken!?"

_"The Collectors did it. I'm on my way to their base right now."_

John did a double take. "You're what!? You can't just go in on your own!"

_"Who says I can't?"_

"If you go in, trying to one-man army it, in an angry haze, you're going to wind up getting yourself killed!"

_"I’ll regenerate."_

"No, you _won’t_! You used an extra regeneration to make me, and although we don't talk about _him_..."

 _"Argh, fine."_ The Doctor grumbled. _"What do you expect me to do then?"_

John sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I’m not trying to stop you, just… You must have a few favors to call in.”

_"Not a lot. I used up most of them when I went to Demon's Run-long story, and it’s not like I’ve been traveling around on this side. But…”_

John raised an eyebrow. "But what?”

 _"There might be someone."_ The Doctor curtly responded, hanging up the phone.

John sighed and sat down at the chair in the console room.

He _really_ hoped his counterpart knew what he was doing.

**_**DW**_ **

The TARDIS materialized out in front of UNIT's HQ. The Time Lord peeked his head out and smiled once he was satisfied that he was where he was supposed to be. He stepped out, shutting the door behind him, and made sure he had his UNIT ID.

He didn't particularly need it, given that he had the psychic paper, but you could never be too careful. He walked up to the front gate of the building and was stopped by a young soldier.

"Sorry sir, but you can't enter without proper authorization." The Soldier stated, stopping the Doctor in his tracks.

The Doctor simply smiled, and produced the ID.

The Soldier looked at it and stammered. "G-go right in, sir!" He saluted, then proceeding to open the gate.

The Doctor stashed the ID back in his pockets and strolled right into the courtyard. He proceeded to enter the HQ, and remembering the path, walked to the Brigadier's office.

He rapped his knuckles against the door. Upon hearing "Come in." from the other side, he entered.

The Brigadier looked up from his work and stared at the Doctor. "Good Lord, you've done it again!" He breathed in amazement. "I almost didn't believe Johnson when he said it was you... At the rate you're going, you'll turn into a child!"

The Doctor let out a tiny chuckle. "I wouldn't put it past me, knowing my luck."

"Hm." The Brigadier chuckled along. But it quickly dissipated, and the Brigadier got to business. "So, Shepard, what kind of alien threat has put the planet in danger this time?"

“Shepard?” The Doctor frowned.

The Brigadier raised an eyebrow. “You are Shepard, are you not? Time Lady from the planet Gallifrey, exiled for crimes undisclosed, assisting UNIT in exchange for resources to repair your TARDIS?”

“Hmm, looks like she’s going to wind up in a similar pickle as me one day…” He muttered to himself. Turning back to the Brigadier, he continued. “I’m her… brother, I suppose you could say.”

“Ah, the Doctor.” The Brigadier nodded. “Shepard mentioned you quite a lot. What are you doing here?”

"What? I can't visit a friend from time to time?" The Doctor rhetorically asked.

"Given that social calls from Shepard and her family are usually followed by an alien attack of some kind, I have good reason to be worried."

The Doctor sighed and shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that. My granddaughter, Susan, she's been kidnapped."

The Brigadier's eyebrows shot up. "Kidnapped? Who the devil would do such a thing?"

"An alien species called the Collectors, it's sort of a long story." The Doctor said. "The point is, the ship she was on got attacked by them while I was away, and they took her. I know where they took her, but if I tried to go in on my own..."

"So, you require UNIT's help for a change?"

"In a word: Yes."

"I'd be delighted to help." The Brigadier instantly responded, standing up. "Tell me where the enemy is hiding, and I'll do what I can."

"There's a problem with that... The Collector base isn't on Earth. It's orbiting a Black Hole. In another universe."

"Oh... Yes, I would say that is a problem." The Brigadier blinked. "But I'm assuming you have a plan?"

"...We’re going to take the TARDIS, but I don't want to bring along more people than we have to. Breaking into that place is going to be a suicide mission."

"Doctor, most of UNIT's men have been trained to fight against impossible odds." The Brigadier retorted. "And they'd gladly go on a suicide mission if it meant helping you."

"You'd really go through all of that to help me?"

"Doctor, humanity owes your sister a great debt of gratitude for saving the Earth time and again. If the time came for us to pay on that debt, even if it wasn’t strictly to her, we'd do it in a heartbeat."

The Doctor couldn't find the words to respond to that with. "I-... Thank you."

"So," The Brigadier began, getting back to business again, "what kind of environment can we expect to be fighting in?"

"If their main base is going to be anything like their ship was, then we'll be fighting in large, open spaces, with a lot of uneven terrain. It'll most likely have an oxygen-based atmosphere suitable for humans, but we can bring along rebreathers just in case."

"And the enemy itself?"

"Most of them are humaniod but look a lot like walking bugs. Those ones are easy to deal with in small numbers, but some of them are armored more, and have better shielding. There are also cyborg-zombie things called Husks. They don't really have weapons, but if they get close, they can tear somebody apart limb from limb. The ones we really need to worry about though are the Scions and Praetorians. The Scions are a bit like tanks, slow moving, but they are hard to kill and pack a wallop. The Praetorians are flying tanks that can go invulnerable for a few seconds, fire a laser beam that can kill pretty much anything, and they slam the ground pulverizing anything under it."

"So, we need heavy weapons then?"

"Yes, heavy weapons. I can whip up some shield generators, too. And we'll need the Seeker Countermeasure, just in case..."

"It seems you have most of the mission planned out."

"Well, yes. We're waltz in and waltz out, but we've gotta be careful about it. There's another team being led by Commander Shepard. Her team is going to divert most of the Collectors' attention away from us while we go after Susan. After we rescue Susan from wherever she's being held, we head back to the TARDIS and get out of there, while Shepard and her team deal with the rest of the Collectors."

The Brigadier nodded his understanding of the plan. "In that case, a small strike team would most likely be effective."

"Probably. The Collectors will be too focused on Shepard's team to focus on us." The Doctor nodded. "But even still, it's going to be very dangerous."

"Doctor, danger is our specialty. Now," The Brigadier got up from his seat, and headed out the door. "I'll get a team assembled."

"And I'll head back to the TARDIS." The Doctor responded, leaving the office as well. He proceeded to walk back to the TARDIS, and moved it into UNIT HQ, waiting for the Brigadier to return.

After a few minutes of waiting, the Doctor heard knocking on the doors, and opened them up, allowing the Brigadier and two other UNIT soldiers to enter.

They were all packing some heavy firepower, which made the Doctor cringe a little. But he conceded to himself, it was a necessary evil for the moment.

"Doctor, this is Sergeant Benton." The Brigadier re-introduced, causing the Doctor to smile and enthusiastically shake the Sergeant's hand. “And this-“

“Mike Yates!” The Doctor recognized, turning the handshake towards him.

Moments later, leaving the two men severely bemused by the Doctor’s enthusiasm, the Doctor released them, turning away.

"Right!" The Doctor clapped his hands together. "You'll all want to hold onto something..."

The Time Lord ran over to the console, input the co-ordinates, and the TARDIS took off, breaching the dimensional barrier, and entering Shepard's reality...

**_**DW**_ **

Meanwhile, on the Normandy, things were no less tense. When Shepard looked into the Doctor's eyes after he discovered Susan was missing, she could feel his anger, his rage, and even a little bit of fear. At that precise moment, Shepard knew that the Doctor was going to the Collector Base, with or without the rest of them, and so she gave the order to prep the Normandy to head through the Omega relay.

"Are you okay, Shepard?" Garrus inquired, sitting down next to Shepard in the mess hall.

"No, truth be told, I'm terrified." Shepard replied. "Terrified of what we'll find, terrified of how the mission will go down, and terrified of what the Doctor will do if he can't rescue Susan. The Reapers are really playing with fire here."

"Oh? You really think the Reapers are going to be scared of a guy wearing a Bow Tie of all things?"

"I know it sounds silly, but... yeah." Shepard nodded. "When he first joined the team, I read up on the legends a little bit." She played with her drink for a few seconds. "Garrus, what does 'Doctor' mean to the Turians?"

"Almost the same as it does in the human language. Most of the time, we use it to mean 'Great Leader.'" The Turian answered.

Shepard nodded. "And isn't it strange how across all these different languages, 'Doctor' is the one word that seems to be universal?"

"Now that I think of it... What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that every species, and I mean _every_ species, has a legend of some 'Doctor' man who just dropped out of the sky one day, defeated a great evil that was threatening their world, and that's where they get the word 'Doctor.' If even _one_ of those is true... then the Reapers should be afraid. They should be very, _very_ afraid…. But I’m more afraid _for_ him. Because if Susan’s been harmed… I don’t know what he’s going to do.”


	30. The Collector Base

"Okay, everyone." The Doctor began, stepping out of the TARDIS first. Yates, Benton, the Brigadier, and River following, surveying their surroundings as they did so. "Here we are." He took in a deep breath and looked out on the Collector base. The entire place was massive, and certainly similar to the Collector Ship in design. He took out the Sonic Screwdriver and scanned around. His face instantly brightened. "I found Susan! She's being kept in a chamber near the heart of the station. If we go in that," He pointed to a corridor to the northeast, "direction, we can get to her in about five minutes."

"Then we'll go in that direction." The Brigadier stated. "Yates, Benton, cover our rear. I and Miss Song and I will watch our sides. The Doctor will take point. Let's move out!"

**_**DW**_ **

Meanwhile, across the base, the Normandy had crashed in a spot close to an open entrance into the base. After determining their next course of action, Shepard lead a small team alongside a vent, while Legion climbed through. The vent would allow Legion to open a locked blast door that led deeper into the base from the other side, ensuring that the team could get closer to the center of the station. The Collectors were firmly determined to ensure that the team wouldn't succeed, however.

But that didn't stop them from trying. Shepard's team continually pressed forward, plowing through the Collector forces that stood in their way. Eventually, the team came to the door.

On the other side, Legion was trying his best to bypass the Reaper code, but the door was being stubborn, adapting to his efforts to open it up. Finally, the Geth succeeded, and the door opened, allowing the team to enter. Once everyone was through, the door shut, and they caught their breath.

"Shepard," Miranda addressed, looking to the other end of the room, "Look." She pointed.

Dozens of pods lined the wall, filled with people. More specifically, the Normandy crew. And in one pod, lay one figure.

Shepard’s breath caught. "Susan!" She ran up to the pod, and in an act of blind emotion, shattered the transparent barrier cutting off Susan from the rest of them with the butt of her shotgun, pulling Susan out.

"Grand... Grandmother?" Susan mumbled, falling against Shepard.

"It's okay, I'm here, you're safe." She rubbed Susan's hair. But quickly, the reunion was broken up, as she looked at the other pods.

Inside, there was another woman. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around the room with fear.

"She's still alive." Garrus commented.

But then, things only went downhill. The woman's skin started to be stripped right off her body, and she started collapsing into a grey paste.

"Get everybody else out of those pods, now!" The Commander shouted, setting Susan down to aid the rest of the team. They all bashed against the barriers of the pods and pulled whoever they could out before they could be converted as well.

Acting quickly, the team removed the rest of the abductees from the pods, saving the rest of the Normandy crew from a most grizzly fate.

"Doctor Chakwas, are you okay?" The Commander worriedly inquired.

"Shepard. You... you came for us."

"No one gets left behind." Shepard stated, pulling Chakwas to her feet.

"Commander, you're here..." Engineer Daniels clutched her sides as she limped along. "A few more seconds, and..."

"I dare not think about it." Chakwas finished. "The colonists were... processed. Broken down by nanomachines into some kind of grey paste, and then pumped through those tubes. At least, I think so."

A door on the far side of the room began to open, and the team readied their weapons, prepared for another fight.

"Susan!" The Doctor suddenly burst in and ran over to the young Time Lady. “You’re okay..." He hugged her. "You're okay."

"A few seconds later, and she wouldn't have been." Shepard said. "The people in the tubes were turned into some kind of liquid and pumped out to who knows where."

The Doctor's face instantly darkened.

"But why...?" Shepard wondered, looking up at the tubes. "What are they doing here?"

"It doesn't matter." The Doctor stated. "We're going to stop them. Brigader, you and your team make sure Susan gets back to the TARDIS safely, I might need her on a moment's notice. The corridor we came down is safe, totally empty."

Susan shook her head. “No, I go with you.”

“Susan, please.” The Doctor replied. “I can’t lose you again.”

Susan looked down, slowly nodded, and got up. "Okay..." She walked back down the corridor the Doctor came from, the three UNIT soldiers escorting her along the way.

"Those tubes are all going in a single direction." The Doctor pointed out. "So, they must lead somewhere. Most likely whatever they're using this stuff for. You lot need to follow them."

"Hold on, 'you lot?'" Shepard repeated. "And what are _you_ going to be doing?"

"We," He gestured at himself and River, "are going to find a control room and try to get some useful info from it."

"Okay, but make sure you keep your omni-tool tuned to the right comm channel. Once we set this place to blow, there's no turning back."

"Got it." The Doctor nodded.

"Then let's all move out."

**_**DW**_ **

The Doctor's sonic screwdriver whirred as he pointed it in different directions. Once he pointed it roughly southeast, it changed pitch and started to rapidly beep. "The control room's that direction. I'm going to have me a few words with whoever's in charge."

"Doctor, doesn't this seem to be a bit too easy to you?" River inquired.

"Nope!" The Time Lord cheerily responded. "Shepard’s keeping the rest of the Collectors occupied.”

"What do you expect to find?"

"No idea!" The Doctor seemed chipper at that. "But there's the door, so we'll find out soon enough. Give me a second." He ran the sonic over the door and frowned slightly. "Oh, you cheeky little... The Collectors have adapted to the sonic screwdriver, found a way to guard against it. Still, won't stop me." He determinedly stated, as the door slid open. He smiled, stowed the screwdriver, and proudly strode in. "Hello then, ladies and gents!" He yelled, wanting to make as much noise as possible. "The Doctor will see you now! ...Wait, I've said that before, haven't I?" He shook his head and strode over to the Collector general. The General was significantly more insect-like than its brethren, possessing multiple legs, and a shorter, flatter stature. "Now, you've been a very naughty boy, haven't you?" The Time Lord quickly grew serious. "Why are you abducting people? What for?"

**"OUR MOTIVES ARE BEYOND YOUR COMPREHENSION."**

"Oh, I dunno 'bout that. I'd say I'm a pretty clever guy." The Doctor responded, staring the Collector dead in the eyes. The eyes were glowing with intensity, but they were soulless, empty, the controlling intelligence truly behind them long since gone. It was then that the Doctor realized what had been going on all along. "Of course, the Collector's aren't really the ones responsible, are they?" He said, turning to point at the hologram the Collector was staring at. "You are. So... Harbinger, as you seem so intent on calling yourself, why?"

**"ORGANIC LIFE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A GENETIC MUTATION. CHAOTIC LIFEFORMS BENT ON DESTROYING THEMSELVES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS. WE WILL BRING ORDER TO THAT CHAOS. WE WILL BE YOUR SALVATION THROUGH DESTRUCTION."**

"See, that's where you're wrong." The Doctor responded. "Yes, you _could_ destroy all organic life, but you always leave the younger species alone. Allowing them to thrive and reach space travel on purpose to harvest them. And to harvest means that you've been cultivating something. You've been cultivating for a very long time, too, but what for...?"

 _"Doctor."_ Shepard's voice suddenly came out of his onni-tool. _"The people that were melted down... The Collectors are using them to make a Reaper. We're going to destroy this thing and set the place to blow. On my signal, you need to get out of here."_ Then, the channel cut.

"So, _that's_ what you're doing. Every fifty-thousand years, you come and harvest, processing the species that fit your criteria into a Reaper." The Doctor deduced, glaring sharply at the Reaper. "The only reason you would do that, is if you were building your strength to fight something. Something worse than you lot. What is it?"

**"AT THE BEGINNING OF TIME, WE GAZED FORWARD, AND SAW ONLY DARKNESS. SILENCE. THE END OF ALL THINGS. WE WILL PREVAIL. WE WILL SURVIVE."**

The Doctor went white as a sheet. "Silence..."

 **"SILENCE WILL FALL, AND WE WILL PERSIST. THE CYCLE WILL CONTINUE."** The Reaper vowed, as the hologram disappeared. The Collector General collapsed to the floor, lifeless.

_"Doctor, I've set the charge, you need to get out!"_

"Got it!" The Time Lord responded, running over to a control panel. He sent all of the data to the TARDIS and pulled out a walkie-talkie, out of his pocket. “Susan, I need the TARDIS here yesterday!”

A moment later, the sound of the TARDIS engines began to rise throughout the room, as the console room began to overwrite the surroundings of the Collectors’ command center.

When the room solidified, the Doctor, having been deposited at the bottom of the console room, ran up the stairs to the console.

“Right, hold on!” The Doctor warned, as he threw the TARDIS into motion again.

And as they took off, the entire TARDIS was rocked by a massive explosion, as the Collector base was wiped off the map.

**_**DW**_ **

“…So, that’s it then?” The Doctor asked, as he walked beside Shepard.

The Commander, still clad in her armor and nursing a few wounds, shook her head. “The Collectors were just the servants… Their masters are still out there. And I’m going to stop them.”

The Doctor smiled. “That’s the spirit.”

“What about you?” Shepard inquired. “I’ve already heard talk of the others getting ready to leave the ship… What’ll you do?”

The Doctor remained quiet for a moment, as they closed the distance in the cargo bay towards the TARDIS. “Well, it’s like you said. The Reapers are still out there. And you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow. “You’re staying?”

“No.” The Doctor shook his head. “Well, not on the Normandy.”

Shepard huffed, crossing her arms. “So, the best way to help me is to leave?”

“I wouldn’t put it like that.” The Doctor replied, as he leaned on the outside of the TARDIS. “I’m leaving because there are answers out there, answers that could help us, that I can’t get by staying here.”

“What are you talking about?” Shepard questioned.

The Doctor sighed. “Before we blew up the base, I had everything in the Collector databanks sent to the TARDIS. And I talked to Harbinger, directly. There is _something_ out there, something more powerful than the Reapers, I think. Could be an enemy… Could even be their creator, who knows? But I need to find out.”

“…And so you have to go.” Shepard finished with a sigh. “Will you ever come back?”

The Doctor looked away from Shepard. “…I don’t know when. But River and Susan…” He smiled. “As long as they are on this ship, you can bet on it.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Shepard resolved, grasping the Time Lord’s hand.

“And I know the three of you’ll give me hell if I don’t.” The Doctor replied with a smile. He turned to the TARDIS, and back to her. “Oh, you might want to keep your eye on this next bit.” He advised, as he stepped into the blue box.

A moment later, the engines were released with a thud, and the light on top of the police box exterior began to pulse brightly, as the TARDIS began to fade out and back in as the wheezing grinding of the engines filled the cargo bay. A few seconds later, the light on the top faded out, as the TARDIS disappeared completely, the bay falling silent.

Shepard, with a large grin overtaking her features, breathed; “Awesome.”


	31. Return to Earth

The TARDIS materialized on a craggy overlook, overlooking an expansive desert with very little life. The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS in his Sanctuary Base Six spacesuit, a necessity as the atmosphere of Edom was primarily nitrogen-argon, with no oxygen at all. The alien world had very little gravity, allowing the Doctor to jump off the overlook and gently float all the way down to the bottom of the cliff.

The entire planet was ruins, abandoned by the long-since extinct inhabitants.

The Doctor climbed up a large hill, opposite of the TARDIS, his foot almost slipping off the sandy footholds multiple times. When he finally got to the top, the Doctor laid his eyes on something that confirmed his suspicions.

Up in orbit, so far away that it looked like a thumbtack, though still visible, was an identical counterpart to the Citadel in the Milky Way. This was the planet that the Reapers retreated to in between the cycles, and that duplicate Citadel was the relay they used to travel to and from the Milky Way.

According to the TARDIS's scans, the entire planet was one massive scorched desert, but ruined cities scattered the surface. The one in the distance, directly under the Relay, was the largest, and maintained city, which the Doctor proceeded towards.

Upon arriving, the Doctor noticed something curious. A Time Lord scientific outpost. The outpost was ancient, predating TARDIS technology, but perhaps there was something inside he could use. The Doctor entered the research outpost, only to find that most of the tech inside was completely fried, save for only a single data storage drive. Picking up the storage drive, he took it back to the TARDIS.

After reentering the TARDIS, the Doctor plugged the storage drive into a slot on the console in order to access the data on it. Upon achieving access, the TARDIS projected a hologram of some kind of device.

The Doctor stared at the projected components with wonder. "Brilliant... Absolutely brilliant!"

**_**DW**_ **

Meanwhile, on Earth, Shepard sat in an Alliance prison cell deep within the main Alliance Headquarters building in Vancouver. Shepard looked out the window at a rooftop park, where a little kid was playing with a toy fighter.

Abruptly, the door to her cell open, and James Vega strode in. "Commander." He saluted.

"You aren't supposed to call me that anymore, James." Shepard pointed out.

"I'm not supposed to salute you either." The marine returned. "We have to go. The Defense Committee wants to see you." He said, leading Shepard out of the room.

"The Committee?" Shepard repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What for?"

"Don't know." Vega honestly replied. "Just said they needed to speak with you. Now."

As Vega led her to the Defense Committee's meeting room, they passed into a large crowd of Alliance officers. One stood out in particular.

"Anderson." She greeted, shaking the Admiral's hand.

"Admiral." Vega saluted.

"You look good, Shepard." Anderson greeted, leading them back the way he came. "Maybe a little soft around the edges. How are you holding up since being relieved from duty?"

"Well, it's not bad once you get used to the hot food and soft beds." The Commander responded.

"We'll get it sorted out." The former Councilor promised.

"What's going on?" Shepard asked, after a sprinting officer nearly ran into her. "Why's everyone in such a hurry?"

"Admiral Hackett's mobilizing the fleets." Anderson answered. "I'm guessing word's made it back to Alliance Command. Something big's headed our way."

Shepard stopped at the bottom of a set of stairs. "The Reapers?"

Anderson turned around to look at her. "We don't know, not for certain."

"What else could it be?"

Anderson shook his head. "If I knew that..."

"If it is them, we're not ready." Shepard stated. "Not by a long shot."

"I know. Without the Doctor here, we've lost our ace in the hole. But try telling that to the Defense Committee." Anderson said, continuing forward.

"Unless we're planning to talk the Reapers to death, the Committee is a waste of time."

"They're just scared." Anderson covered. "None of them have seen what you've seen. You faced down a Reaper. Hell, you spoke to one, then blew the damned thing up! You've seen how they harvest us... what they plan to do to us. You know more about them than anyone."

"Is that why they grounded me?" Shepard asked. "Took away my ship?"

Anderson stopped to point at Shepard. "You know that's not true. When you destroyed the Alpha Relay, thousands of Batarians died."

"It was that, or let the Reapers walk through the back door."

"I know that, Shepard, and so does the Committee. If it weren't for that, you would've been court-martialed and left to rot."

"That, and your good word?"

"Yeah, I trust you, and so does the Committee."

Shepard sighed. "I'm just a soldier, Anderson, no politician."

"I don't need you to be. I just need for you to do whatever the hell it takes to make sure the Reapers are stopped." Anderson led them into the waiting room, and they walked over to the entrance proper.

"Good luck in there, Shepard." Vega wished.

Shepard nodded, and her eyes followed him down the hall as he disappeared. As she turned back around to face Anderson, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something... familiar, but as soon as she turned to get a better look, it vanished.

"Shepard." The voice of Kadian Alenko grabbed her attention.

"Kaidan." She approached to stand next to Anderson.

"How'd it go in there, Major?" The Admiral questioned.

"Okay, I think." Kaidan shrugged. "Hard to know. Now, I'm just waiting for orders."

Shepard's eyebrows raised. "Major?"

"You hadn't heard?" Anderson asked.

"No." Shepard shook her head. "I'm a bit out of the loop."

"Sorry, ma'am." Kaidan apologized.

"You don't need to apologize." Shepard returned, though still a little bit hurt on the inside from Horizon. "I'm sure you had your reasons."

"Yeah... I suppose."

"Admiral," The Secretary addressed, "They're ready."

"Then let's not keep them waiting."

**_**DW**_ **

The Commander and Anderson walked into the Committee's meeting hall, stopping in front of the Committee heads.

"What's the situation?" Shepard asked, proceeding directly to the point.

"We were hoping you would tell us." A bald Admiral responded, as an aide handed Shepard a datapad.

"The reports are unlike anything we've ever seen." Another Admiral began. "Entire colonies have gone dark. We've lost contact with everything beyond the Charon Relay."

"Whatever this is, it's incomprehensibly powerful."

Shepard stopped reading the datapad's contents, and let her arm fall to her side. "You brought me here to confirm what you already know..." Shepard began. "The Reapers are here."

"Then... how do we stop them?"

"Stop them?" Shepard repeated. "There's no stopping them. No ship, no fleet could hope to even put a dent in one of them. Now, we're just living on borrowed time. The Reapers are more powerful than us. Smarter, more intelligent. They won't take pity on us, and they don't fear any of us."

"But... there must be _some_ way."

Shepard started pacing. "No one species in the galaxy can hope to stand against the Reapers on their own, save for one... The Time Lords."

"The Time Lords!? You'd put the galaxy's survival on nothing more than boogeymen?"

"The Reapers were boogeymen just a few months ago." Shepard fired back. "The entire galaxy nearly came to be under Time Lord rule, until they retreated. They didn't do it because they were close to losing, or they were running dry on resources, they did it because they had gotten _bored_ of the war. They can destroy entire star systems at will, and they stopped because their Lord President decided that they'd get more entertainment from watching Soap Operas. With them on our side, the Reapers won't just be defeated. It'll be like they never existed in the first place."

"That's it!? That's our plan!?"

"Admiral," An Ensign from the back spoke up, "We've lost contact with Luna."

"The moon?" Anderson whispered. "They couldn't be that close already."

"How'd they manage to get pass our defenses?"

"Sir," The same Ensign from before said, "UK Headquarters has a visual."

"On screen." Anderson ordered, turning around to face the large monitor mounted on the wall.

The screen filled with static for all of about four seconds. Slowly, the static cleared showing an Alliance Marine in front of a burning building, trying to deliver a report on the situation, but the sounds of gunfire and fighting in the background made it hard to hear.

Suddenly, the sound of a Reaper reverberated out of the speakers, and the camera shook, falling to the ground. A split second later, the signal dropped.

Another second later, news coverage filled the screen, live feeds of Reapers all across the Earth were projected on the screen. The image froze on the clearest view of the Reaper, showing it touching down in New York.

"Why haven't we heard from Admiral Hackett?" Anderson wondered. Either the Reapers were jamming all communications on the planet, or Hackett was dead. Both possibilities weren't encouraging.

"What do we do?" An Admiral asked.

Shepard turned around to stare the Admirals dead in their eyes. "The only thing we can. We fight, or we die."

After Shepard said that, a loud noise, somewhere between a growl and the sound an airplane makes when it flies, reverberated throughout the room.

"Oh my God..." An Admiral breathed with horror, staring out the window.

Outside, red lightning flashed in the clouds, heralding the arrival of a Reaper. As soon as it descended below the cloud cover, the Reaper opened fire, a red beam of molten metal shooting out with a hellish _'fwaamp.'_

"Move!" Shepard yelled to all in the meeting hall, once she realized the fire from the Reaper's weapon was heading straight for them. "Go, go, go!"

The massive window in the meeting hall shattered, and the large desk the Admirals were previously sitting at was thrown across the room, as the Admirals themselves were incinerated from the heat of the weapon. The desk flipped, and broke against the wall, Shepard having ducked to dodge it. Another discharge from the Reaper's main weapon lanced out, and another explosion rocked the building, which threw Shepard against the wall.

"Shepard!" Anderson called, running over to the Commander. "Come on, get up." He ordered. Shepard extended out her hand, and he grabbed onto it, pulling her up. "Here, take this." He ordered, holding out a pistol to her. "We've got to keep moving." Shepard took the pistol, and followed Anderson to the shattered window. "This is Admiral Anderson, report in. Anyone?" He spoke, activating his comm. "Major Alenko, is that you? What's your status?" Anderson paused while he absorbed the information. "I can't raise the Normandy. You'll have to contact them. We'll meet you at the landing zone. Anderson out."

The two stopped, looking out over Vancouver. It had only taken the Reaper several seconds to level several city blocks, and set fire to numerous buildings. Shuttlecraft and fighters whizzed by as they tried to evacuate and fire upon the Reaper. Several other Reapers had also made landfall, and had begun their own destructive actions.

Anderson peeked over the edge, and saw the catwalk. Anderson nodded to Shepard, and they both jumped down.

When they hit the catwalk, they immediately proceeded along, in the general direction of the spaceport.

While they were walking, Shepard started fiddling with her omni-tool, trying to pick up any comm traffic.

"Anderson," Shepard addressed, once her omni-tool received a signal, "listen."

 _"Alliance personnel, please stand by for an emergency flash-traffic message."_ The automated announcer of the Alliance EBS stated. The voice then switched to a man's, due to the live transmission. _"This is a galaxy-wide alert for all human territories. Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett has declared threat condition Saber One. Enemy presence confirmed in Sol System. Earth under Reaper attack. I say again: Reaper attack is underway._ " The comm signal got choppy and staticy when a Reaper boomed, but quickly leveled out. _"...further instructions to follow on coded channel Crimson Tacit. May God save us."_

"Sounds like Hackett survived the initial attack." Shepard stated, as they moved along, killing Husks that got in their way.

"But if he's declared Saber One, then things are a lot more worse than we thought."

"How worse?" Shepard questioned.

"All government leadership for the Alliance has been killed, we've lost Arcturus, and the home fleet's been decimated." Anderson answered, as they approached a flaming building that took a hit from a Reaper weapon.

"Damn." Shepard cursed. "It's going to be hell trying to organize a counterattack." They entered the flaming structure, and Shepard walked up to a malfunctioning door. She forced it open, and held it. "Through this way." She said, letting Anderson go through. She was about to go through herself, when the sound of clanging metal brought her attention elsewhere. She looked to her right, and what she saw made her go pale. "...Ash?" She whispered.

"Shepard." Anderson called, turning Shepard's attention to him. "We need to keep moving."

Shepard looked back, and the phantom was gone. Shepard shook her head, and followed Anderson.

"This is a goddamned mess." The Admiral growled, shifting a chunk of debris out of their path. "Every minute those things are here, thousands of innocent people die. We can't let that happen."

"I know." Shepard responded, pushing aside another chunk. "But unless we find something to take them out with..."

Anderson sighed. "They hit so fast... I thought we'd have more time."

"Still, we knew they were coming."

"And yet, they just cut through our defenses." Anderson shook his head. "We need to go to the Citadel." He stated, climbing over a metal beam. "Talk to the Council."

"The Citadel?" Shepard repeated. "The fight's here."

"It'll be everywhere soon enough." Anderson replied, beginning to inch along a catwalk that had mostly been taken out by falling chunks. "You said it yourself... The Reapers will destroy everything unless we stop them, and unless you can guarantee the Time Lords will intervene... Rallying together all our forces will be our best shot."

The building suddenly shook, and Shepard lost her balance, falling forward. Just before she fell, Anderson grabbed onto the back of her uniform, and pulled her back over the edge.

"Thanks." Shepard breathed, continuing along. "I owe you one."

"More than one." Anderson replied, as they both got to a safer point. "Let's go." They both jumped back out of the building, onto the ledges on the outside. Directly in front of them, in the bay, another Reaper landed, opening fire on the city. "Major Alenko, we're in sight of the spaceport. ETA: 3 minutes.

_"We've made it to the Normandy, taking heavy fire-oh shit! They're going to take down that dreadnought, evasive maneuv-!"_

"Major!?" Anderson repeated. "Kaidan! Damn it, they're in trouble."

The Reaper that had landed opened fire on a nearby cruiser, the red beam of molten metal cutting through the cruiser's hull like wet tissue. One final shot caused the cruiser's reactor to go critical, and explode, sending out a massive shockwave that caused the walkway Anderson and Shepard moved along to collapse, sending both soldiers to fall. Fortunately for them, they were sliding down the side of a building at an angle, instead of straight down, meaning the worst they got from the fall were a few bruises.

"Normandy, we're going to re-route." Anderson stated, getting up. "Do you copy?" The only response he was met with was static, and Kaidan's broken and stuttering voice, too unintelligible for Anderson to get any meaning. "Normandy? Damn it!" Anderson cursed, cutting the link. "We're going to have to find a radio."

"Look," Shepard pointed, to a Marine pinned under a chunk of debris and the medic tending to him, "Friendlies." She jumped down, and approached them. "You two alright?"

"Shh!" The medic shushed. "Get down! They'll see you!"

On the other side of the stream, three husk-ified Batarians screeched, and opened fire upon Shepard with weapons integrated into their arms. Shepard and Anderson returned fire, Shepard sending out a few incineration blasts to burn the Batarian Husks to ash. Once the threat had been cleared, Anderson and Shepard moved to opposite sides of the chunk of debris, and lifted it off the Marine. The debris sunk into the water, but enough remained above the surface to act as a bridge.

"Come on." Anderson took point over the bridge. "That gunship's got to have a radio."

Shepard nodded, and followed. In their way were three more Husked Batarians, but those were easily dispatched. After the immediate threat was taken out, Shepard and Anderson ran over to the downed gunship. Lucky for them, there was already radio on the ground, next to a dead Marine.

Shepard picked up the dead Marine's assault rifle, while Anderson tried to get the radio working.

"Normandy, this is Anderson, do you read?" The Admiral said, fiddling with the radio's controls.

 _"Admiral?"_ Kaidan responded. _"What's your location?"_

"By a downed gunship in the harbor." Anderson answered. "I'm activating its distress beacon. Shepard and I are going to hold position, and wait for evac." Only garbled static was the response. "Major? Damn," He smacked the radio on its side, "Lost the signal."

"Let's hope that beacon does its job." Shepard said.

"And fast." Anderson pointed to the sky, where Reaper Drop Pods were inbound to their position. "We've got company!"

The pods hit and dispersed their cargo, more of the Batarian Husks. Shepard and Anderson dove into cover, and opened fire, taking each one out with surgical precision.

"Hope they get here soon!" Anderson yelled, shooting one of the Batarian Husks in the head, causing it to fall.

"You and me both!" Shepard responded, sending out a few incineration blasts.

More drop pods sped down from above, crashing and releasing more Reaper troops.

"I'm running out of ammo!" The Admiral shouted, taking out one last Husk before his pistol started clicking.

Shepard ran out of ammo herself, and switched to using tech powers instead. But before she could send out even one incineration blast, the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard filled her ears.

 _"Calvary's here, gentlemen!"_ Joker snarked, flying the Normandy directly over the battlefield. The ship fired a few missiles, which hit and detonated in a large group of enemy troops. The Normandy then swooped over, and held position near a bit of debris sticking out of the ground like a ramp.

"Bout time!" Anderson responded.

"Let's go." Shepard said, running towards the ship.

The Normandy got closer to the makeshift ramp, and the shuttle bay door opened downward, allowing Shepard to jump on board.

"Welcome aboard, Shepard." Kaidan greeted.

"Thanks." The Commander returned.

"Shepard." Anderson addressed, stopping at the top of the ramp.

"Come on!" Shepard ushered for Anderson to jump aboard.

A shuttle flew overhead, and touched down near a large group of civilians. "I'm not going." Anderson stated, looking at the shuttle whiz by. "You saw those men back there. There's a million more like them, and they need a leader."

"If you're staying, so am I." Shepard responded.

"The hell you are!" Anderson shouted back. "This is a fight we can't win! Not without help. We'll need every species, and all of their ships, to even have a chance of defeating the Reapers. You need to go to the Citadel, talk to the Council."

"Me!?" Shepard incredulously shouted. "I warned them about the Reapers years ago, what makes them think they'll listen now!?"

"Then you _make_ them listen! Now go, that's an order!"

Shepard snorted. "I don't take orders from you anymore, remember?"

Anderson looked down at something he held in his hands, and threw it to Shepard. Shepard caught them, and looked down at them, realizing they were her old dog tags. "Then consider yourself reinstated... Commander."

Shepard sadly looked down. "I'll be back... And I'll bring every fleet I can." She vowed, moving to step behind the yellow safety line in the shuttle bay. She turned back to look at Anderson. "Good luck." She wished.

"You too, Shepard." Anderson nodded.

With that, the Normandy began to lift off, leaving Anderson behind. Anderson ran back down the ramp, and Shepard turned to look at the large gathering of civilians. Who she saw standing in the center made her blood run cold.

Ashley Williams stared back at Shepard, dead in the eyes. The loud blaring of a Reaper Destroyer caught Shepard off guard, causing her to jump slightly. The Reaper charged its main weapon, with the intent of opening fire on the large gathering of people. The people scrambled to get in the shuttles, which took off not one second after everyone was on Reaper stepped on the ghostly apparition, and fired on the shuttles, tearing them to shreds.

The Normandy's shuttle bay door closed, blocking the view of the outside, and the ship took off, rocketing out of the atmosphere.

The Normandy narrowly evaded the flaming chunks of destroyed ships, and jumped into FTL, leaving Earth behind...


	32. Mars

The Kodiak shuttle used by the Normandy crew touched down on Mars's sandy surface.

"Still no contact from the base, but we've got a massive storm headed our way." Vega reported, sealing his suit.

"How long until it hits?" Shepard inquired, as the shuttle's door opened. Shepard, taking point, led the squad out of the shuttle, and towards the archives' entrance.

"Half hour, tops." Vega answered. "After that, we're going to have trouble keeping up comms with the Normandy."

"Understood." Shepard replied, jumping off a short cliff.

"What's that?" Vega asked, looking at a corpse leaned against a power relay.

"Alliance, Sergeant Reeves." Kaidan answered, examining the dog tags. "Looks like he didn't put up much of a fight."

"Just what the hell is going on here?" Vega wondered.

"No idea." Shepard responded. "But we should keep a low profile until we know what's going on."

The team turned a corner, and saw multiple vehicles, all bearing the markings of Cerberus. Shepard gave the order for them to take cover, and observed the Cerberus Troops' movements.

One soldier, clearly the leader, approached a researcher that was on his knees. The soldier pressed a pistol to the researcher's head, and mercilessly pulled the trigger.

"Holy shit!" Vega breathed. "They're executing them!"

"Weapons free!" Shepard ordered, popping out of cover to open fire. She hit the leader in the back of his head, killing him, and causing the rest of the troops to scatter.

"They know we're here now!" Vega yelled, throwing a grenade at another trooper.

Kaidan let out a biotic blast, which hit a trooper, causing him to be thrown over the edge of a cliff, down into the deep crater under the archives, where he would surely meet his end.

Only two troops remained, which were swiftly taken out by gunfire. With the immediate threat taken care of, the team pushed forward, walking past three troop transports.

"Doesn't look like they came in force." Vega remarked, as they all stepped into the cargo lift.

"Yeah." Shepard agreed. "Just a few trucks."

"They must've had someone on the inside." Kaidan hypothesized. "No way they could take this facility with anything less than a full battalion."

Shepard walked over to the lift's controls, and pressed the activator. The massive blast door sealed, and the lift filled with oxygen, allowing the team to remove their helmets. Soon after, the lift started moving up.

The lift stopped at a small garage, which was empty, save for a few vehicles. The team stepped off, and began walking forward, only to dive into cover once they heard loud banging coming from the ventilation ducts.

Shepard kept peeking out, her eyes trained on the duct, and her weapon ready. The duct's cover popped off, and fell to the ground, allowing an Asari to jump down to the floor. An Asari that Shepard could place anywhere.

Liara turned around, and threw a singularity at the Cerberus Troopers that had jumped down after her. The troopers floated upwards, and lost their weapons, allowing Liara to easily pick them off.

Shepard smiled, and started walking towards Liara. "Easy, Lieutenant." Shepard said, pushing Vega's gun down. "She's with us."

"Shepard!" Liara turned around. "Thank the goddess you're alive!"

"You know me." Shepard smiled. "It takes more than a few Reapers to put me down."

Liara snorted, but her smile fell. "I was so worried when the reports came in... I'm sorry about Earth."

"Yeah." Kaidan butted in, stepping forward. "It was... hard to leave."

"Kaidan. I'm sorry. But... why are you all here?"

"Hackett ordered us." Shepard answered. "Hackett said you found something in the Archives."

"Oh... _that."_ Liara grimaced. "Approximately one week ago, I found a series of logs made by a team of Prothean researchers while they were here. They were in the process of studying humanity's development while the Reapers attacked."

"While the Reapers attacked?" Shepard repeated. "Why?"

Liara shook her head. "I don't know. Prothean data storage is advanced, but it's not infallible. Most of the logs were heavily corrupted. Save for a few logs leading up to the final one."

"Okay. So, what was in these logs."

Liara rubbed her forehead. "Shepard, I don't know how to explain this, but the Protheans... They _let_ the Reapers harvest them!"

"They were indoctrinated?"

Liara shook her head. "No. The logs that survived showed that everything about the researchers' behavior was normal."

"So, what happened?" Shepard inquired.

"The Protheans learned... something. According to the logs, the Reapers across the galaxy all sent out data transmissions to every terminal capable of receiving them. From what the Protheans were able to gather, some sort of cataclysm would happen very soon, relatively speaking, on a _universal_ scale. Whatever it was, it scared the Protheans so much, they chose to submit to the Reapers, rather than face it."

"A cataclysm?" Kaidan repeated. "So the Reapers are killing everybody, so everybody won't die?"

"The logs don't say for certain." Liara responded. "The only concrete data about the cataclysm that survived, was that they referred to it as 'The Silence.' But the name is hardly an indication of what it actually is. It could be any number of things. A universe-wide extinction event, some kind of mass destruction, or something worse than the Reapers..."

"Worse?" Vega repeated. "What could be worse than the Reapers?"

"The Reapers only limit themselves to our galaxy. So, why haven't we heard from any species in _other_ galaxies? The only thing any of our species has received when trying to detect extragalactic transmissions, was _silence_." Liara finished. "So if the Reapers aren't responsible... who is?"

Shepard shuddered. "That's a... _scary_ thought."

"Of course, that's simply conjecture. For all we know, there could be some sort of undiscovered natural phenomenon that prevents extragalactic transmissions from entering our galaxy. This... 'Silence' could occur in a few eons, or in a few years. There's simply no way of being certain."

"One thing _is_ for certain, though." Shepard began. "We _need_ to stop the Reapers. Is there anything in the archives that can help us with that?"

Liara shrugged. "I don't know. So far, the only data I've obtained was in the logs, which are irrecoverable at this point. But the archives has zettabytes of data that still haven't been researched. There could be something in there... If Cerberus hasn't gotten to them first."

"So it's a race to the archives." James stated.

The room suddenly shook, and a door at the far end of the garage sparked as Cerberus cut their way through.

"We've got company!" Shepard pointed, moving into position.

"Bring it on." Vega grunted, readying his gun.

"Not this time, Lieutenant." Shepard turned around. "Get back to the shuttle. If this goes south, I want the option for a quick extraction.

Vega clearly wasn't pleased with her orders, but complied anyway. "Aye, aye." James ran over to the lift, and took it down, the blast door sealing behind him.

"Here they come!" Kaidan yelled, as the door that was being cut finally gave away.

Shepard got back into cover, and opened fire. But, the Cerberus troops had the advantage of high ground, and used it to their advantage. They hit behind the metal railing, using the railing as effective cover. With the option of simply unloading all their shots into them gone, Liara threw out another singularity, causing the troops to float up, and over the railing. Once they were free of the singularity's bubble, they fell all the way to ground level, where they were made easy targets for the team.

With the Cerberus troops in the immediate area dispatched, the team pushed forward, into the archives.

**_**DW**_ **

As the team pushed to the Prothean Archives itself, they mopped up any Cerberus resistance they came across. Along the way, they discovered that one of the researchers, one Doctor Eva Core, was the Cerberus agent that gave Cerberus access to the facility. More disturbing, they discovered that the Cerberus troops had been modified with Reaper tech, turning them into something resembling husks in appearance. The three continued pushing ahead, going across the tram line leading to the archives. They destroyed the last bit of Cerberus guarding the entrance, and proceeded inside.

The Archives themselves was definitively Prothean, similar in appearance to the beacons scattered across the galaxy. The Archives had several lines of circuitry running all across the outside, pulsing blue with the contained knowledge of a species long dead.

"Kaidan," Shepard addressed, "See if there's any Cerberus personnel still left inside."

Alenko nodded, and stayed back near the entrance, beginning a counter-clockwise sweep of the room.

Shepard and Liara, walked over to three terminals in front of the Archives themselves. As soon as they began trying to access the data, a holographic projection behind them flickered to life, displaying a man in a clean suit, holding a cigarette.

_"Shepard."_ The Illusive Man addressed, his hologram flickering with instablity. The sudden appearance of TIM caused Liara to startle, and whirl around faster than any quick-draw, leveling her pistol at the hologram.

"Illusive Man?" Liara frowned. Seeing that there was nothing her pistol could do to the hologram, she holstered it, and stood next to Shepard, glaring holes into the Illusive Man.

_"Fascinating race, the Protheans."_ He began, looking at the Archives with appreciation. _"They left all of this for us to discover, but we've squandered it. The Alliance has known about the Archives for more than thirty years, but what have they done with it?"_

"What do you want?" Shepard demanded.

_"What I've always wanted."_ TIM answered. _"The data in the Archives holds the means to our understanding of, and eventually the solution to, the Reaper threat."_

"I've seen your 'solution.' You're people are turning into monsters." Shepard argued.

_"Hardly."_ TIM fired right back. _"They're being improved."_

"Improved!?"

_"That's what separates us, Shepard. Where you see the need to destroy, I see a way to control. A way to dominate and harness the Reapers' power. Imagine what could be done for humanity if_ we _controlled_ them."

"Earth is burning, and you're hatching a scheme to control the very things causing the problem!?" Shepard demanded.

_"You've always been shortsighted. Hasty."_ The Illusive Man argued, shaking his head. _"_ _Something worse is coming, the Protheans learned that themselves. And only the Reapers have the means to stop it. Refusing to control the Reapers, instead trying to destroy them, is a foolhardy course of action."_

"Refusing to destroy them s 'foolhardy!'" Shepard retorted.

The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette, and pointed at Shepard. _"This isn't your fight any longer. You can't defeat the Reapers."_

"Then work with me! Give me control of your resources, and I'll stop them!"

The Illusive Man merely shook his head. _"That's no longer possible Shepard. You know as well as I do that any alliance made between us will be temporary at best. More importantly, I don't want the Reapers destroyed. If we can control them, we can bring humanity to the apex of evolution, and beyond."_

"Haven't you learned anything!? You can't control the Reapers! People better than you have tried, and they're all dead, or indoctrinated."

_"I don't expect you to understand, Shepard. And I'm certainly not looking for your approval. You were a tool, an agent with a singular purpose. And despite our differences, you were relatively successful. But like the rest of the relics in this place, your time is over."_

"Enough talk. Liara!"

Liara simply nodded, and moved to start the data transfer.

_"Don't interfere with my plans, Shepard."_ TIM threatened. _"I won't warn you again."_

Shepard scowled. "Duly noted."

"Shepard!" Liara cried, grabbing the Commander's attention.

"What?" Shepard asked, walking over to the Asari. The Illusive Man sinsterly smiled, and vanished.

"The data, it's not here!" She said, frantically typing commands into a console. "It's being erased!"

"Damn it!" Shepard cursed. "How's he doing it!?"

"It's local." Liara answered. "And the files are not being deleted, they're being uploaded."

"Hey! Step away from the console." Kaidan barked at someone from across the room. Kaidan was kicked to the floor, and soon after, the Archives went off-line.

Dr Core sprinted out of the small room, and across the chamber.

"After her!" Shepard hollered, taking off in pursuit, with Kaidan and Liara not far behind.

"She's faster than she looks!" Liara shouted.

Core lured them to the security checkpoint, and shut the doors behind them. Shepard overrode the door controls, only for an incineration blast to be fired at her once they opened. Core then _jumped_ into an open panel in the ceiling, and dropped down on the other side of the checkpoint.

Shepard overrode the lockdown, allowing the shutters to open, and the team continued their pursuit. Core sprinted through an open door on the left of the room, and up a ladder, onto the base's roof.

The team climbed up after her, and Shepard opened a comm link. "James? You read me?" She asked, as they chased Core through the base's supports. The Commander's only response was broken static. Hoping that Vega's end was clear enough to make her out, Shepard continued. "Cerberus has the data! Radio the Normandy, get them down her now!"

They climbed up another ladder, as Core sent out more incineration blasts. A Cerberus shuttle descended from the skies, and held at the end of the walkway, its hatch wide open so that Core could jump inside.

"She's getting away!" Shepard yelled, firing her gun. "Damn it!" She cursed, watching the shuttle's hatch close. "James? Normandy? _Anybody!?"_

_"I got this one!"_ Vega radioed, the Alliance shuttle suddenly breaking through the storm.

Vega gunned it, and proceeded to ram the Cerberus shuttle at full speed. The Cerberus shuttle's fuel lines broke, and the shuttle burst into flames, its metal carcass dropping to the floor like a brick. Vega's shuttle crashed as well, though he was largely more intact, and he stepped out safely.

Vega rolled his shoulders, and cracked his neck. "Normandy's on-route." He notified, shaking off the whiplash. "They'll be here soon."

The Cerberus shuttle's door abruptly began banging, and flew off of the chassis, falling against the ground.

Inside the shuttle, the flaming mech body of Dr Eva stood to full height. Kaidan, not wasting any time, drew his pistol, and began firing.

Core sprinted forward, shrugging of each of Kaidan's shots, and picked him up by the neck, slamming him against the shuttle.

She pressed two of her fingers to her metal temples, clearly contacting someone. "Orders?" She waited for a moment, and upon receiving them, began bashing Kaidan against the shuttle. Over and over again. It was only when Shepard began firing at her did Core stop.

The mech turned around, and began sprinting forward. In that moment, everything seemed to move in bullet-time for Shepard.

The Commander fired every shot her thermal clip allowed her to. With one final shot to the mech's shoulder, Dr Eva fell over, sparking.

"Grab that thing!" The Commander ordered, pointing at the mech, as she ran over to pick up Kaidan.

_"Commander, we've got Reaper signatures in orbit!"_ Joker radioed, as the Normandy descended towards the base. The shuttle bay door opened again, allowing the team to run up inside, Vega and Shepard holding the limp forms of Dr Eva and Kaidan, respectively.

The door closed once more as the Normandy began taking off, and as the Reapers began descending upon Mars, signaling that the Sol System was now completely lost to the Reapers.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard ran into the medical bay, with Vega and Liara in tow. She gently set Kaidan down on one of the beds, while Vega unceremoniously did so with the mech.

"Kaian needs medical attention." Liara stated, looking Shepard right in the eyes. "We have to leave the Sol System."

Shepard sadly looked down. "I know."

"We need to go to the Citadel, we can find help there." Liara finished.

Shepard nodded. "Set a course for the Citadel, Joker."

_"Roger that."_ The helmsman responded.

Shepard looked over to the mech with disdain. "See what you and EDI can learn from that... _thing."_

Liara nodded, and walked over to the mech, setting to work.

_"Commander."_ EDI suddenly addressed. _"I am receiving a signal over the secondary QEC. I believe it is Admiral Hackett."_

"Patch it through, EDI." Shepard ordered, moving to exit the medical bay. But once the door opened, she could see someone standing in her way.

The Doctor stepped forward. "Shepard, you and I need to talk."


	33. Interlude: Citadel

"Sorry about the interruption, Shepard, but it's important." The Doctor semi-apologized, following Shepard to somewhere they could talk privately. "How are Susan and River treating you?"

"They're good." Shepard answered. "They've been helping with the Normandy retrofits. They're probably down in Engineering right now, if you want to see them."

The Doctor shook his head and followed Shepard into the sound-proofed conference room on deck two, just outside the war room. "I would, but this is more important." He took a small, flash-drive like device out of his pocket, and connected it to his omni-tool... somehow. Upon connection, a hologram of what appeared to be a ship of some kind was projected, along with Gallifreyan glyphs.

"What is it?" Shepard inquired.

"A weapon." The Doctor answered. "Capable of destroying the Reapers in one shot."

"Where did you find this?"

"On a planet in the Large Magellanic Cloud." The Doctor answered. "On the planet, I found a Time Lord scientific outpost, and these plans were inside. I think the Time Lords, a very long time ago, studied the Reapers, and came up with this to use against them."

"And you're certain we can use it against the Reapers?"

The Doctor nodded. "Absolutely."

Shepard, however, frowned. "If it's capable of destroying the Reapers, then how come the Reapers are still around? Wouldn't the Time Lords have used it?"

"They would have, but this thing," He gestured to the plans, "Is filled to the brim with all sorts of tech, designed to breach the Time Vortex, act as a signal hijacker, and a massive energy weapon, all in one. The problem is the designers needed a massive transmitter if they wanted the pulse this thing would make to cover the entire galaxy."

"So, without this transmitter, they couldn't fire it?"

"Precisely." The Doctor confirmed. "The builders of this thing called it 'The Catalyst.' It appears to have been some sort of previously built structure, given that this thing is designed to latch on to it."

"So, unless we find it, this thing is little more than a glorified paperweight?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, I can't just go back in time to figure out what it was. The TARDIS had enough trouble getting to Edom as it were."

"Trouble?" Shepard's eyebrows raised.

"She... doesn't react well to Reaper technology. Now listen, this thing is big, _but_ it's well within the engineering capabilities of the galaxy's civilizations. As long as you have enough time, any of the galaxy's civilizations could build it on their own."

"Time isn't something we have a lot of, right now."

"Well then, we can go to the Citadel, and get the Councilors to spare some manpower to pour into this thing!" The Doctor retorted.

Shepard sighed. "Send a copy of the plans to my omni-tool, and I'll give them to Hackett. I can't guarantee anything from the Council, though. But now that the Reapers are here, hopefully, they'll realize that we have bigger problems."

"Indeed."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got an urgent call from Admiral Hackett that I need to answer. We're going to be arriving at the Citadel in a few hours, so get something to take to the Council prepared, got it?"

"Right." The Doctor nodded.

With that, Shepard left to go speak with Hackett.

**_**DW**_ **

A few hours later, the Normandy dropped out of FTL, and approached the Citadel. The ship plunged into the Citadel's atmosphere and approached the Presidium ring. The Normandy proceeded into Docking Bay D24, and the docking clamps latched on, holding the Normandy in place as the docking tube attached to the airlock, allowing the crew to depart.

The door into the Docking Bay's lounge area opened up, and a team of doctors wheeled Kaidan out of the Normandy.

"Barely got a pulse here!" One reported to another.

"Move 'em out!" The Turian at the front ordered, he and the rest of the group taking a right, proceeding to the elevator.

"Where are you taking him?" Shepard inquired.

"Huerta Memorial." The Turian answered. "Finest care on the Citadel."

Shepard nodded, and stopped.

"We're not going with?" Vega asked.

The Doctor shook his head. "Shepard and I need to speak with the Council." The Time Lord explained.

"Right." Vega looked towards the entrance to the docks and noticed C-Sec's Captain Bailey approaching. "Looks like they're coming to see you."

Shepard turned around to face the man. "Captain Bailey." She shook the man's hand. "Good to see you again."

"You too, Shepard. Though, it's 'Commander' Bailey now."

"...Sorry."

Bailey chuckled. "Thanks. Now half my job is escorting dignitaries and dealing with political bullshit... No offense."

"Heh. None taken." She assured. "So, you're here to take us to the Council?"

"I'm here to tell you that the Council's expecting you, but their busy dealing with their own... know, with the war and all." Bailey led them to the scanners and stopped. "They apologize for the inconvenience, and blah, blah, blah... Meet them here, at Udina's office." Bailey sent a nav point to Shepard's omni-tool. "They'll be ready soon enough."

"All right." Shepard nodded.

"You might have time to go by the hospital, if you want to see your friend."

"Thanks. I might go do just that."

"You go on ahead." The Doctor told Shepard. "I'll go up to Udina's office."

"One of my men can show you the way." Bailey told the Time Lord. The Doctor nodded and followed a C-Sec officer into the elevator. "You?" Bailey asked Vega.

"Nah." The Marine shook his head. "I'm just a tourist today. I'll try not to get into trouble." He finished, walking off.

Bailey suddenly pressed a finger to his ear, receiving a status update from one of his officers. He sighed and shook his head. "The other half of my job." He explained, walking away, leaving Shepard to her own devices.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard stopped by Huerta memorial, and checked on Kaidan's status. Apparently, the damage was a lot worse than it looked. According to the doctors, several ribs were broken, his spine was fractured in several places, and his brain had swelled up, cutting off blood flow. It was a miracle he'd survived long enough to get treatment at all. The doctors had managed to stabilize his condition, but he wouldn't wake up for several days, at least. The doctors returned to operating on Kaidan, and so Shepard was forced to leave. On her way out of the hospital, she ran into Doctor Chakwas, and convinced her to come back to the Normandy.

Now that her business in the hospital was done, Shepard proceeded to Udina's office. Inside, his Asari assistant informed Shepard that Udina and the Doctor had already gone up to the Council Chambers, and were waiting for Shepard to arrive. So, Shepard allowed the assistant to lead her up.

"We've got our own problems, Councilor." Shepard could hear the Turian Councilor say to Udina. "Earth is not in this alone."

"But Earth was the first Council world hit." Udina retorted. "By all reports, it faces the brunt of the attack."

"By _your_ reports." The Salarian Councilor corrected.

The Doctor was standing on the edge of the platform in front of the Councilors, shaking his head. Shepard walked up to stand next to him, and looked up at the Councilors.

"The reports are accurate." Shepard told them. "Earth _was_ attacked... by the Reapers. And it's just the beginning. We need your help. Everything you can spare."

"Each of us faces a similar situation." The Asari Councilor spoke up. "Even now, the Reapers are pressing on our borders. And that's saying _nothing_ of the Time Lords."

"For the last time, the Time Lords aren't trying to go to war with you!" The Doctor yelled.

The Asari Councilor ignored him. "If we lend you our strength to help Earth, our own words will fall."

"That may be true, but this isn't an enemy we can defeat on our own!" Udina retorted.

"And so we should just follow you to Earth?" The Salarian Councilor asked.

The Turian Councilor gestured for the others to calm down, then asked Shepard: "Even if we united our fleets, do you _really_ believe they could defeat the Reapers?"

"I don't expect you to follow me without a plan." Shepard said. She nodded to the Doctor, causing the Time Lord to bring up his omni-tool, projecting the holographic plans for the Anti-Reaper Weapon.

"Councilors," The Doctor began, "these plans were devised after centuries of research on the Reapers by the Time Lords. If you all combined your resources, it could be built in only a few months."

"Plans for what?" The Turian Councilor skeptically inquired.

"A weapon." The Doctor answered. "The original designers called it 'The Moment.'"

"And it is capable of destroying the Reapers?" The Salarian Councilor asked.

"I believe so."

"The scale is... It would be a colossal undertaking." The Salarian Councilor stated.

"Yes." The Doctor nodded. "But like I said before, if you all pooled together your resources, then it could be built within only a few months."

The Asari Councilor narrowed her eyes. "How do we know that this isn't a trap, Time Lord?"

"Councilor, my people have technologies that your people haven't even dreamt up in fiction yet." The Doctor told her. "If we really wanted you all dead, we wouldn't be speaking to you now."

The Asari Councilor continued frowning. "If the Time Lords had the capacity to destroy the Reapers, then why are they still around, hmm?"

"There was a missing piece. The 'Catalyst.'" The Doctor answered. "This thing," He gestured to the plans, "is nothing more than a really big battery. The Time Lords could've deployed it right then and there, but without a transmitter large enough, the blast wouldn't have been enough to cover the entire galaxy."

"Do you really believe this will work?" The Turian Councilor inquired of Shepard.

"The Doctor's the only expert on Time Lord technology we have." Shepard stated. "If he thinks it'll work, then so do I. And while I haven't always agreed with him, Udina's right. This isn't an enemy any one species can defeat on their own."

"The Time Lords." The Doctor coughed.

Shepard glared at the Doctor for a moment, and then turned back to the Council. "The Reapers won't stop at Earth. They'll destroy _everything_ if we don't stop them."

"The cruel and unfortunate truth is that while the Reapers focus on Earth, we have time to prepare and regroup." The Asari Councilor said, before the other Councilors could get words in edgewise.

The Salarian Councilor narrowed his eyes at the Asari Councilor, but his expression quickly returned to normal as he began speaking to Shepard. "We are convening a summit amongst our species. If we can secure our borders, we can give you our full support."

"I'm sorry, Commander." The Asari Councilor apologized, though her tone made it clear that she wasn't sorry at all. "This is the best we can do." She finished. With that final statement, she and the other Councilors left.

Udina lingered for just a few seconds, long enough to say something. "Shepard, meet me in my office." He ordered, departing as well.

The Doctor looked at the gradually shrinking form of the Asari Councilor, his eyes narrowed and brow furrowed in suspicion. "At least they're not totally denying us support. I'll do what I can to learn more about this thing, but in the meantime, I have a few... things I need to take care of."

Shepard nodded, and departed the Council chambers, heading back down to Udina's office.

**_**DW**_ **

"They're a bunch of self-concerned jackasses, Shepard!" Udina furiously ranted once he crossed the doors into his office.

Shepard was stood up, watching Udina angrily gesticulate with fury at their current situation.

"We may have a seat on the Council, but humanity will always be considered second-rate!" Udina continued.

"It seemed to me like Sparatus and Valern wanted to help, but Tevos wouldn't let them do anything." Shepard shook her head.

"That is _exactly_ what happened." The Turian Councilor spoke up, suddenly entering.

"Councilor." Udina greeted.

"Commander," Sparatus addressed, ignoring Udina for the moment, "I can't give you what you need. But, I _can_ tell you how to get it."

"I'm listening."

"Primarch Fedorian called the War Summit." Sparatus explained, pacing around Udina's office. "Unfortunately for us, we lost contact with him shortly after the Reapers hit Palaven. Those meetings won't proceed without him. The Normandy is one of the few ships that can extract him undetected."

"As much as I'd like to help out, so far you've only told me how this benefits _you."_ Shepard crossed her arms.

" _I_ can't help you directly." Sparatus outlined. "But the _Primarch_ can _._ He can give you access to ships, troops, and resources that I can't authorize you to use otherwise. Trust me, a Primarch that owes a favor is a powerful ally, indeed."

"We're at war, and I'm supposed to play _politician?_ " Shepard snorted.

"If it gets you what you need, what does it matter?" Sparatus retorted. He walked over to a vid screen on the wall and pulled up an intelligence report. "Our latest intel says that the Primarch was moved to a high-security installation on Palaven's largest moon, Menae. I've done all I can to help, the rest is up to you." He moved to walk out but stopped before he could cross the door's threshold. "Oh, there is one other thing. We've decided to uphold your Spectre status." He told Shepard, tapping a few commands into his omni-tool. "And various resources will be made available to you. Good day." He bid, leaving Udina's office.

"Well, that went well." Shepard stated, once the door shut.

"It's a start." Udina conceded, sitting back down at his desk. "In the meantime, I'll talk to the others, see if we can support this summit. Move things along."

"Thanks." Shepard nodded, and she left Udina's office, now on a new mission.

On her way back to the Normandy, Shepard stopped by the Spectre office, and used the terminal inside. She read through most of the entries, though the one that caught her attention was pertaining to Engineers Donnelly and Daniels. She authorized their release, purchased some new gear with the left-over credits in her bank account, and proceeded back to the Docking Bay D24.

Shepard crossed the airlock and boarded the ship. Once everybody reported in that they were on board, and at their stations, she gave the order for immediate departure.

The Normandy's engines powered up, and the docking clamps attacked to the ship released, allowing the ship to back out of its berth. The Normandy turned around, and the engines flared up to full power. The Normandy darted away like a speeding bullet, and left the Citadel's atmosphere, heading back out into the inky blackness of space.


	34. Interlude: The Normandy

The smell of smoke filled Shepard's nostrils, and the Commander confusedly looked around, trying to get a handle on where she was. She was in a forest, or rather, it used to be a forest. The dead husks of alien trees surrounded her, and silver leaves piled on the ground. Shepard looked down, she was in her N7 armor, but she didn't remember putting it on.

For that matter, she didn't remember how she got here either.

Shepard looked up, trying to see if there were any aircraft passing by.

Only silence was the response.

Suddenly, one of the leaves cracked under someone's step.

Shepard turned around, trying to see the culprit. A person, in white and pink armor, ran away, deeper into the forest. Not thinking, Shepard gave pursuit.

Blades of red grass were flattened by Shepard's feet, as she ran to catch the other person.

 _"Shepard..."_ A ghostly voice called out, barely audible.

Shepard ran in between two trees, trying to keep up with the person.

 _"Shepard..."_ The same voice whispered.

The person stopped, and Shepard closed the distance. The person finally turned around, allowing Shepard to recognize the person.

 _"Shepard..."_ Ashley Williams whispered. Her skin was pale, deathly white, and her eyes were entirely white. A second later, a flash of red light illuminated where the two were standing, and a fire broke out.

The fire crept across Ashley's skin, burning away her hair, and charring her flesh. Her flesh entirely burned away, leaving only Ash's charred skeleton. The skeleton then blew away, like dust in the wind.

All of it happening while Shepard was reaching out, trying to grab her friend's hand, and save her.

But she failed. And Ash paid for it.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard's eyes snapped open, and Shepard took in a sharp breath, sitting up quickly. She was back in her cabin on the Normandy and calmed down once she realized the events that had just transpired were all just a dream.

The door chime rang, prompting Shepard to get up from her bed, and answer it.

The door opened, and the Doctor was on the other side, waiting.

"Doctor," Shepard greeted, "Is there something you need?"

"I've been forwarding information on the Moment to the Turian Councilor." The Doctor answered. "The amount of manpower and resources it needs, stuff like that... He says he can spare the help, but he won't until the Primarch is safe and sound. We _need_ to get that Primarch rescued, and soon."

Shepard sighed. "I know. Can't we just use the TARDIS?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Like I said before, she doesn't react well to Reaper technology, and with all the Reapers around... To be honest, I really don't know what'll happen." He explained.

"Well, damn."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just..." Shepard sighed. "There were a lot of people back on Earth. I could hear them, screaming and crying in the streets as the Reapers attacked. It was... hard leaving them behind."

"That's good." The Doctor responded. At Shepard's piercing look, he continued. "Not the people screaming and crying, but it being hard to leave them behind. Don't let it get easy, because once it is, you're no better than the Reapers."

"Right." Shepard nodded.

Abruptly, the elevator door opened, and a woman stepped out. "Commander Shepard?" The woman addressed. "I'm Specialist Traynor-oh." She stopped, once she noticed the Doctor's presence. "I beg your pardon. I thought you were on your own."

"Don't worry about it." The Doctor waved off, walking back into the elevator. "I'm just leaving. When you're done, Shepard, meet me in Starboard Observation."

Shepard nodded, and turned to Traynor. "You were saying?"

Traynor nodded, and snapped a salute. "I'm Comm Specialist Samantha Traynor, Alliance R&D. I was part of the team retrofitting the Normandy after you turned it over to the Alliance."

"Right, the retrofits." Shepard remembered. "Why don't you tell me about those?"

"The ship's now in line with Alliance regulations, and it has new top-of-the-line Quantum Entanglement Communicators." Traynor outlined. "The ship is mostly the same as it was before, save for deck two. The Science Lab has been replaced with the meeting room, and the Armory has been moved down to the shuttle bay to make space for the War Room. Oh, and Doctor T'Soni has set up in the old XO office on deck three. The weapon systems have also been upgraded with technology from the Torchwood Archives. So, the Normandy's still the same ship as before, just a little bit upgraded, and flying Alliance colors now. Speaking of which, Admiral Hackett would like to speak with you at the Vid-Comm."

Shepard nodded. "Thank you, Specialist. You're dismissed."

Traynor nodded, snapped off a salute, and proceeded back to her post on deck two.

Shepard lingered in her cabin for a moment, checking her private terminal. So far, there wasn't anything too important, save for intel about a Cerberus base on Sanctum, and a priority mission to Eden Prime. Archiving the messages, she moved to exit her cabin, before the sound of something scampering across the floor grabbed her attention.

She turned around and tried to find the source of the sound.

Following the source of the quiet pitter-patter, Shepard came to a tiny vent, and crouched down to it, she looked inside, and her day brightened ten-fold.

"Boo!" She happily cooed, reaching into the vent. She grabbed the tiny Space Hamster gently and pulled it out. "Mama's missed you!"

"*Squeak!*" Boo squeaked, trying to crawl out of Shepard's hand, and into his cage.

"Aww, did the mean old Alliance people not feed you? There." She gently set him down in his cage. The hamster crawled over to the food bowl, and immediately began eating up.

Then, she proceeded down to deck two.

Stepping out of the elevator, she immediately went right, into the war room. She passed through the scanners, walked past the meeting room, and into the war room proper.

Shepard walked into the comm room, stood in front of the QEC, and turned it on.

 _"Commander,"_ Hackett greeted, flickering into existence, _"Udina's updated me on your meeting with the Council. Sounds like they're running scared."_

"We did present them with a lot of unknowns." Shepard was willing to give them that. "They wanted immediate solutions, not theory and blind leaps of faith. And Tevos was so concerned about a possible Time Lord attack that she wouldn't let the others get a word in edgewise."

Hackett shook his head. _"Theories are all we've got right now. What's your plan?"_

Shepard sighed. "Right now, my immediate goal is getting the Turian Primarch off Menae so the war summit he's called can go smoothly. if the war summit goes well, I can bypass the Council and get help directly from their leadership. After that, I'm thinking I can head to Gallifrey, and see if I can get the Time Lords to help."

 _"That's good."_ Hackett nodded. _"This is where we can start laying the ground for our counter-attack."_

"It isn't much so far."

_"Then do something about it. Build alliances, get everybody and everything you can to help the cause."_

"What about the Moment?"

_"Find me people who can help build it. And if you can't, I'll take anything. Ships, people, resources... But the most important thing is this: Buy us time to figure out the device. The Moment is useless if the Reapers can find it and destroy it while it's still under construction."_

"The Doctor's still working on deciphering the schematics himself."

 _"Then when he gets done, have him send me the relevant data. Then, we pool_ everything _we can to get it completed. After that, we deploy it. But without knowing exactly how it operates, we're risking the biggest backfire in history. That's why we need the plans figured out, to know we're not kids playing with a loaded gun."_

"Understood, sir." Shepard nodded.

 _"Then make it happen, Commander. Until then, I'll be expecting regular updates on your progress. Hackett out."_ He finished, and the hologram flickered and vanished.

Shepard sighed, and left the war room, heading down to deck three. She hoped the Doctor made some progress.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard walked into Starboard Observation, the door sealing shut behind her. The TARDIS was parked in the corner, and various bits of scrap and junk were scattered across the floor.

The Doctor was in the middle of the room, fiddling with what looked like a satellite dish made out of the junk on the floor. "Hello, Shepard."

"Doctor." The Commander returned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm _trying,"_ He grunted, pushing a bit of metal into a slot, "To send a message to the Time Lords. Normally, I'd use a psychic container, but with all of the Reapers around, there's not a very good chance of it making it to Gallifrey."

"Why send a message?" Shepard asked. "Why not just go to Gallifrey and ask for their help directly."

"You know how I said the TARDIS doesn't react well to Reapers? Well, take a look inside."

Shepard raised an eyebrow, and peeked inside the TARDIS. The inside was completely dark, devoid of light and totally silent.

"So, you're stranded with us for the time being? No crazy adventures while the rest of us are in the middle of a warzone?"

"It seems that way, yes." The Doctor responded, still focused on the dish. He sighed, and shook his head. "I had no idea the Reapers were so powerful. Powerful enough to strand a TARDIS in one place and time, at least. Whoever created them must have known a lot about TARDIS technology."

"How _did_ the TARDIS get like that?" Shepard questioned.

"If you'll recall I showed up on the Normandy while you lot were still leaving Mars. All those Reapers in close proximity to the ship must be what caused the TARDIS to break down. She should be fine in a few hours, though."

"Good to know." Shepard nodded. Shepard shifted her weight, and asked the next question that came to her. "What'd you find in the LMC? Other than the plans for the Moment?"

"I found a lot of Reaper space stations." The Doctor answered, attaching a power cable to the transmitter. "Whoever built the Reapers originally had a pretty sizable presence. But other than that and the plans, nothing."

"Speaking of the plans, Admiral Hackett's trying to get them figured out." Shepard said. "Trying to figure out how to work the Moment."

The Doctor snorted. "It'll take your best scientists at least a few hundred years to find the light-switch. But don't worry, I'm working on them." He gestured over to a nearby hologram of the plans, projected over a desk. Strange symbols were projected alongside the plans, with more recognizable Gallifreyan symbols on the bottom. "The overview of the plans are in an extinct form of Old High Gallifreyan, so obscure that I don't know it. I've got the Sonic Screwdriver running a translation program, but without the TARDIS's Index Files, it's going to be a while before they make sense."

"That's good. When they're done, send them to Hackett." Shepard ordered. "Do you need anything for your project?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't think so, but Susan said she wanted to speak with you. She's down in Engineering, if you want to go talk to her."

"Then I'll go do that." Shepard nodded, leaving the room. Before she headed down to Engineering, she decided to see what Liara was doing.

Shepard touched the control panel, and the door slid open, allowing Shepard entry.

Dozens of screens lined the wall, showing a map of the galaxy, with yellow lines across it. Large server banks were across from the screens, humming and glowing with power.

"Commander Shepard!" A blue holographic orb greeted, coming out from behind the servers. Two spinning half-spheres surrounded the central sphere, and a blue eye-like circle was on the front. "It's a pleasure to see you again!"

"Hey, you're the drone from the Shadow Broker's ship." Shepard recognized.

"That is correct, though Doctor T'Soni now refers to me as 'Glyph' instead of 'Info Drone' ninety-five percent of the time." The little VI responded. "If you have a moment, I'd like to draw your attention to this terminal." He floated over to a terminal next to the computer banks. "It analyzes information packets." Glyph explained, as a display flickered into existence. "If you find any useful data, I can research upgrades for you."

"That's useful." Shepard said. "Have you found anything useful already?"

"I have." Glyph tilted forward in an imitation of a nod. "Modified shield systems, based off data given to us by the Doctor, are now available for installation in the Normandy. According to the simulations, the new systems will be able to absorb 1.21 terawatts of energy before collapsing."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. “That’s a lot of energy. Is there anything else like that we can use?”

“Indeed." Glyph confirmed. "Should you come across relevant data packets, I will inform you. In the meantime, Doctor T'Soni would like to speak with you. Have a pleasant day!"

Once the VI was done with his little spiel, Shepard approached Liara. "So, I take it you've called dibs?"

"Oh, Shepard." Liara turned around from looking at her data feeds. "I'm sorry, it's just, I had a lot of equipment, and this was the most private room I could find-"

"Don't sweat it, Liara." Shepard put her hands up in a calming gesture. "How've you settled in?"

"Well enough, given the circumstances." Liara answered. Then, she let out a sigh. "Little of my data feeds survived the Reaper attack, add to that the Cerberus attack on my ship..."

"Wait, Cerberus attacked your ship?"

The Asari nodded. "I can only assume they intended to obtain control of my information network. I knew they wouldn't use it as... altruistically as I have, so I set the ship to ram into a Cerberus cruiser, after that, they both exploded. It was a magnificent display of light, I assure you."

"So," Shepard looked at the wall of screens, "What are you up to?"

"Right now, I'm trying to reorganize what little operatives I have left." Liara answered, tapping away at her datapad. "After that, the priority becomes providing aid to whoever needs it."

That gave Shepard an idea. "You know, Alliance Intelligence has discovered a Cerberus lab on Sanctum." Shepard relayed to Liara. "Do you think you have operatives that be up for going in and securing it for the Alliance?"

"Of course." Liara responded, walking over to her terminal. Seconds passed as she typed a message, and she sent it out into her network. A few minutes later, the terminal blinked as it received a response. "Done. They should have the lab secured by the time our mission on Palaven is over."

Shepard raised her eyebrows. "That was quick."

"I'm the Shadow Broker. My agents don't dawdle unless the situation calls for it." Liara explained. "Now, is there anything else you needed?"

"Actually, I wanted to know about the data we got from the archives. Have you learned anything from it?"

"Not anything useful." Liara answered. "So far, the data's only been logs and results of genetic tests on early humans. EDI and I have been trying to recover what we can, but there are still terabytes of corrupted data that we've yet to get to. If we find anything useful, I'm sure she'll let you know."

"Then I'll let you get back to work." Shepard finished.

Liara nodded, and turned back to her data feeds as Shepard left her office.

Shepard stepped into the elevator and went down to deck four.

**_**DW**_ **

Shepard walked into Engineering, and immediately, someone came darting towards her. The Commander staggered slightly as she was wrapped into a big hug.

"Grandmother!" Susan greeted.

"Susan, you're bruising me."

"Oh, sorry." Susan released the hug and stepped back. "River and I have been worried, they wouldn't let us see you while you were incarcerated."

"They wouldn't let _anyone_ see me unless it was Anderson or my security detail. Speaking of River, where is she?"

"She's in the shuttle bay." Susan explained. "She's been down there a lot lately."

"I see." Shepard nodded. "So, how have things been since I was locked up?"

"It wasn't too bad." Susan answered. "EDI managed to hack into the Alliance's network and forge credentials for us. River and I were assigned to the crew doing the retrofits so the Alliance wouldn't kick us off the ship, having nowhere to go."

"So you've both been spending the past six months as grease monkeys?"

"Well, I can't complain. The Normandy's a marvelous ship." Susan said. "Although, these uniforms are a bit itchy..."

"Tell me about it."

"The Normandy being marvelous, or the uniforms being itchy?"

"Yes." Shepard snarked. "So, have you all got everything you need?"

"I believe so." Susan nodded.

"Well then, I'll leave you to it." Shepard said, ending the conversation. Susan nodded, and got back to work, and Shepard went down to the shuttle bay.

Once she stepped out of the elevator, she heard Vega speak. At the other end of the shuttle bay, Vega and River were stood next to each other, in front of an impromptu target range.

"Ready?" The marine asked.

"As if you needed to ask." River responded.

"Draw!" Vega said. In that moment, both of their hands went to their hips, grabbing onto the pistols at their sides. They pulled the pistols off the tiny weapon docks, and put them up to aim at the targets, the pistols unfolding as they did so.

River shot first, the shot hitting the target in its exact center. Vega shot second, his shot to a little bit right of the center of the target.

Vega whistled. "Damn. That's gotta be... eight in a row?"

"I'd say it was an easy nine." River responded, twirling the gun, and putting it back on the dock. "What do you say, one more try?"

Before Vega could respond, Shepard walked over. "What is all this?" Shepard requested.

"Hey Commander." Vega greeted. "Deadeye over here was doing target practice a little while ago, and being only on the retrofit crew, I thought she didn't know how to use a gun properly, so I offered to show her the ropes. Then she just smiles, takes the gun, and fires three shots at the target while still looking at me. I looked at the target, and _all three shots_ went through the same hole! So now we have a little game going."

"Game?" The Commander repeated.

"Yeah, who can score the most bulls-eyes." Vega answered. "So far... she's been kicking my _culo."_

"At this point, he's just trying to see if he can get _one_ shot faster than me." River piped up.

"I see." Shepard nodded. "So wait, does that mean that last time you fired-"

"Eight times in a row? I did." River smiled wryly.

"How!? They don't make the triggers to be pulled that fast!"

"They don't." She winked.

"...Wow." Shepard blinked. "Think you'd be up for being on the ground team?"

"I don't see why not." River shrugged. She turned to Vega. "We'll have to finish later."

"You're on." Vega responded, walking away to go do something else.

"So, how was your time in lockup?" River asked, walking over to a workbench, and she began tinkering with her pistol.

"It wasn't all bad. I even got a decent meal once or twice. You?"

"Oh, it was terrible." River responded. "The Alliance were oh so restrictive, and Susan would not stop her incessant worrying. And I mean 'incessant' literally. She would. not. stop."

"She was just worried about her grandmother... I'm still having trouble getting used to that." She mumbled that last sentence.

"I know, but it crossed the line from 'worrying' to 'panic' a few times."

"I was there!" Cortez, the shuttle pilot, piped up. "She had to be taken up to the med-bay for a panic attack a few times!"

"I'm certain _that's_ an exaggeration, but yes, she got bad." River nodded. "She was afraid they were going to put you away for good, or outright execute you."

"I don't blame her. They had it a standing order to kill any Time Lords or their agents on-sight." Shepard sighed and shook her head. "Guess it's a good thing that the Reapers' arrival made them revoke it. What about you? What were you doing that whole time?"

"I spent most of my time tinkering with the guns away from... prying eyes. They were surprised when they found out the guns not only had better ammo capacities, but much more power as well. After they found out it was me, they gave me a reprimand for modifying the weapons without telling anyone... and then they made me Armory Chief."

"Ah, don't you just love the military?"

"Not really, no. But since I'm stuck on this ship of the damned, I'll have to make do."

"That's the most apt description of the Normandy I've heard in a while. So, have you got everything you need down here?"

River nodded. "The Alliance fully stoked the Armory. But I am working on a... secret project, and I don't have what I need to finish it."

"What kind of secret project?" Shepard asked.

"The secret kind."

"Okay... I kind of walked into that one. What do you need?"

"There are a lot of guns I need, but they're too expensive for me to buy myself, and I can't put them down as required expenses."

"Guns don't count as required expenses?"

"Normally, they would, but these are pretty special weapons. I'd have to either find them in the field, or be a Spectre to purchase them." River said. "I have the full list here." She handed Shepard a datapad. "You can find most of them in the field."

Shepard scrolled through the datapad's contents, reading off the names of each gun. "'Reaper Blackstar, Geth Spitfire, Sync Laser, M-597 Ladon... M-920 Cain!? River, these are all heavy weapons!"

River simply smiled. "Don't worry, the end result is going to be stunning. I have the Cain already -don't ask- but I still need everything else on that list."

"Then you'll get it." Shepard responded, transferring the list to her omni-tool. "Was there anything else?"

"No."

"Then I'll let you get back to it." Shepard finished. Then, the deck plating suddenly shuddered.

 _"Shepard, we are nearing Menae."_ EDI reported. _"We will arrive in thirty minutes."_

"Got it. Tell the team to assemble, we've got a Primarch to rescue."


	35. Palaven

In orbit above Palaven, hundreds of Turian ships faced off against dozens of Sovereign-class Reapers. Red beams of molten metal tore through the Turian ships, and Reaper fighters chased after the Turian fighters. Many Turian ships had already been destroyed, turning the space around Palven into an impromptu graveyard.

While the battle was occurring, the Normandy's UT-47A Kodiak flew through space, with its stealth systems engaged, on a direct course for Menae.

Inside the shuttle, the team consisting of Shepard, Liara, James, River, and the Doctor looked at the vid screens, with equal parts anger and sadness.

"Oh no. No..." Liara muttered, looking at the feed with horror. "Palaven." Blazes of fire, the size of mountain ranges, were scattered across Palaven, as massive explosions peppered the surface.

Vega raised his eyebrows, and looked at Shepard.

"We... have an old friend there." Shepard explained.

"Holy hell." Vega breathed, also looking at the screen. "They're getting decimated."

"I knew the situation was bad," River said, "but this...?"

"It'll be like this everywhere soon enough." Shepard echoed Anderson's words to her on Earth.

"Was it like this on Earth?" Liara carefully asked.

Shepard turned to her. "Yes." She stated.

"Shepard... I'm so sorry."

"Yeah."

"Commander!" Cortez piped up from the controls. "The LZ's getting swarmed!"

Shepard nodded, and stood up. "James, pop the hatch."

Vega nodded, and moved over to the hatch's controls. He pressed the button, and the hatch slid open.

Shepard drew her weapon, and instantly began opening fire on the Husks running around on the ground. Each shot tore into the back of the Husks' heads, causing them to fall instantly.

The shuttle's engines throttled down, and it touched down on Menae's Luna-like surface.

"Okay, we get in, get the Primarch, and get out." Shepard outlined. "Let's move!" She ordered, taking point. Once everyone on the shuttle stepped off, the shuttle took off, and began running aerial interference.

On the ground, the team pushed forward, bullets and sonic pulses continually flying into husks, towards the main camp.

"Hold your fire!" The team could hear a Turian soldier shout to his comrade. "Friendly inbound."

The barricade's wall lowered, allowing the team entrance into the camp. Dozens of wounded Turian soldiers lay on the ground, the medical area being too cramped to fit them in. The team stepped over the wounded, and proceeded to the prefab where the Commanding Officer was. Along the way, the team could overhear conversations telling them just how bad the situation was.

"Tebestik, get your men up on the north barricade." The General ordered his subordinate as the team approached. "Sergeant Bartus, find a way to get the comm tower back on-line."

"General?" Shepard presumed, walking up the ramp into the prefab.

"Commander Shepard." He recognized, though he didn't look up from his console. "Got reports that you were coming, but I couldn't believe it. General Corinthus." He introduced himself.

"I've come to get Primarch Fedorian." She told the General.

That simple statement pulled Corinthus's attention away from his command terminal. "Primarch Fedorian is dead. His shuttle was shot down two hours ago as he tried to leave the moon."

"Damn." Shepard cursed. "That's going to complicate things. What do we do?"

"The Turian Hierarchy has very clear lines of succession." Liara spoke up.

"Right." Shepard nodded. "General?"

"Your friend is right, our lines of succession are very clear." Corinthus began. "However, our comm tower is down, so getting a message back to Palaven Command to request the information is not possible, not until the tower is operational again. To make matters worse, Husks are swarming that area. We can't get close enough to repair it."

"Don't worry, General, we'll get that tower operational." Shepard stated, grabbing her assault rifle.

"Thank you, Commander." Corinthus nodded.

"Alright, let's move out!" Shepard ordered her squad.

The team proceeded out of the base camp, and towards the large satellite dish sticking out of the ground. Closing in on the tower, the team immediately opened fire, ripping apart the Husks that swarmed at the tower's base. Once the Husks were taken care of, Shepard walked over to the tower's control panel, and typed in a few commands. A warning symbol flashed, and Shepard shook her head.

"We can't repair it from here." Shepard turned around to face the team. "Doctor, you're up."

The Time Lord nodded. "Right. Keep the Husks off me, and I'll work my magic." He climbed onto the ladder, and to the top of the tower. He removed the panel sheltering the electrical components from the elements, and examined the electrics.

It seemed the reason for the tower's inoperable state were several loose wires, knocked out of their sockets by powerful shaking, probably caused by a Reaper's footsteps. The Doctor reconnected the wires to the proper nodes, and to ensure that this didn't happen again, he fused the wires into place using the Sonic Screwdriver to essentially solder the wires.

"Okay, I'm coming back down!" He informed his comrades, who were firing upon incoming Husks. He proceeded back down the ladder, and joined his allies in taking care of the Husks.

"General, do you read me?" Shepard radioed. "The comm tower's back on-line."

_"Much appreciated, Commander. I'll contact Command."_

"Understood, we're on our way back." Shepard responded, closing the channel. She began leading the team back to the base camp, along the way aiding a wounded Turian squad they came across. The camp's barricade lowered, allowing them entrance, and Shepard walked back to Corinthus's position.

"Commander," Corinthus greeted as Shepard walked up the ramp, "I've just received word from Command. There are so many dead or MIA, Command's still having trouble determining who it is."

"Well, I don't care who, as long as they can get me the help I need." Shepard responded.

"Don't worry, Shepard, we'll find you the Primarch." A Turian assured, walking up the ramp into the prefab.

"Garrus!" Shepard smiled.

"Vakarian, sir-I didn't see you arrive." Corinthus saluted.

"At ease, General." Garrus responded, causing Corinthus to relax.

"Garrus, am I glad to see you." Shepard walked up to him. "We thought you were still on Palaven."

"If we lose this moon, we lose Palaven." Garrus outlined. "I'm the closest damn thing we have to a Reaper expert, so I'm... advising." He said the word with distaste, obviously wanting to be fighting the Reapers instead of being in an advisory position.

"Good to see you again, Garrus." Liara smiled.

"You too, Liara." Garrus returned. He then turned back to Shepard. "General Corinthus filled me in. We know who we're after."

"Palaven Command says the next Primarch is General Adrien Victus." Corinthus relayed.

"Victus? His name's crossed my desk." Liara recognized.

Shepard turned to Garrus. "Know him?"

Garrus nodded. "I was fighting alongside him this morning. Lifelong military." Garrus outlined. "Gets results, popular with his troops. Not so popular with military command-he has a reputation of playing loose with expected strategy."

"What do you mean?"

"On Taetrus during the uprisings, his squad discovered a Salarian spy ring about the same time the Sepratists did." Liara explained for Garrus. "Rather than neutralize the ring, he fell back. He even gave up valuable fortifications, which the rebels took."

"Then the rebels attacked the Salarians." Garrus continued. "And when both groups had been worn down, Victus moved in. Didn't lose a single man."

"Bold strategy," Corinthus conceded, "but wild strategy doesn't get you advanced up the meritocracy."

"Primarch Victus." Garrus chuckled. "That'll be something."

"Think he can get the job done?" Shepard inquired.

"We both know conventional strategy won't be enough to defeat the Reapers. Right now, he could be our best shot. And I trust him." Garrus nodded once more.

"Okay. Let's get him on the shuttle, and get him out of here." Shepard outlined.

_"Commander!"_ Shepard's comm crackled, and Joker's voice filled her ears. _"Shepard, come in!"_

"What's the situation, Joker?" She responded, pressing her fingers to her ear.

_"We've got a situation on the Normandy, Commander."_ The helmsman explained. _"It's like she's possessed; shutting down systems, powering up weapons. We can't find the source."_

"Liara," Shepard turned to the Asari, "Go back and take a look." She ordered. Liara nodded, and ran back to the shuttle. "Garrus, you said you were with Victus this morning?"

"Yeah, but we got separated." Garrus outlined. "He went back to bolster a flank that was breaking. He could be anywhere out there."

"We're trying to raise him now, Commander." Corinthus informed.

"Incoming Harvester!" Vega suddenly yelled, pointing in the direction of the Harvester. The Harvester flew over the camp, disregarding the troops inside, and flew in the direction of the airfield. "It's heading for the airfield!"

"General, keep trying to raise Victus. Tell him we'll rendezvous here." She ordered. "In the meantime, my team an I will take care of that thing. Coming Garrus?"

"Are you kidding?" The Turian responded, unfolding his sniper rifle. "I'm right behind you."

With everybody ready, the team proceeded towards the airfield.

* * *

By the time the team reached the airfield, the Harvester was long gone, leaving only a small group of Husks and Marauders behind, which were easily taken care of. Upon dealing with the Husked forces, the team was contacted by Corinthus, who informed them that the main barricade was dangerously close to being breached. With that in mind, the team hoofed it back to the base camp, and Shepard took control of the large turret gun on top of the barricade. She immediately began opening fire on the Reaper forces, killing them before they even made it to the barricade.

Until a massive Husked... thing jumped down from a cliff, landing in front of the barricade, and causing a massive quake.

"Holy hell!" Vega yelled, pumping the massive brute full of lead. "What the hell is that thing!?"

The Brute then charged forward, heading straight for the barricade. It hit, causing the barricade to shake, and Shepard to fall off.

"Oh shit!" Shepard yelled, opening fire on the Brute.

Powerful incineration blasts, grenades, and a whole lot of bullets lanced through the air, all heading for the Brute. But the massive beast kept soaking them up like a sponge, undeterred.

Then, Shepard noticed something. "The neck!" She yelled. "Aim for the neck!"

The Brute's neck was very thin, just big enough to support the Turian head the Brute had. But it also appeared to be very weak.

The combined shots from the team tested that theory, as the bullets ripped through the Brute's metal neck, severing the head from the body, and the body toppled over, lifeless.

"Damn." Vega breathed. "I've never seen anything soak up that many bullets."

"Just wait until you see a Dalek." The Doctor told the man.

_"Shepard, Corinthus here."_ The Turian General radioed.

"Any word on the Primarch?" The Commander inquired.

_"Still can't get a stable comm-link."_

"Okay. I'm going on foot. Shepard out." She finished, closing the link. "Garrus, take us to the last place you saw Victus."

Garrus obligingly nodded, and took point. He led the team into the trenches along the edges of a series of steep cliffs, roughly west of the base camp.

"How far?" Shepard asked, running behind Garrus.

"Should be pretty quick." He answered. "Unless we find trouble."

They all pushed forward, passing by a few deceased troops, taken out by the Reaper forces.

"Damn it." Garrus suddenly cursed. "Look at Palaven." He prompted, causing the squad to look up. Palaven's surface was even worse than it had looked on the shuttle. The massive blazes of fire and explosions were bright enough to illuminate the side of Palaven not facing its sun. "That blaze of orange-the biggest one-that's where I was born."

"...I'm so sorry." Having seen his home burn before in a seemingly hopeless war before, the Doctor could definitely sympathize. Still, the Reapers couldn't even come close to the horrors the Doctor had seen in the Time War. "Do you still have family there?"

"My dad, and a sister." Garrus nodded sadly.

"How bad is it?" Shepard inquired.

"Three million dead the first day, five the second." He recited.

"What about your military?" She continued.

"Look around." Garrus despondently responded. "That should give you some idea."

"Still, you're putting up a good fight." Shepard pointed out, as she and the others climbed up a small ledge.

"For now. But how long's it take until the fight gets beaten out of you?" Garrus sighed, and shook his head. "If only they listened to your warnings about the Reapers. We could've been better prepared."

"Maybe." Vega interjected. "But how do you prepare for something like this?"

A duo of Husks suddenly screeched, and came over the cliff's edges. The team reacted instantly, firing upon them, and the two husks behind the first duo. The Husks dropped dead, and fell off the edge of the cliff.

"Shit, I hate those things!" Vega shivered. "And New York is crawling with the creepy bastards!? Never should've left Earth."

"It's gonna be bad all over." Garrus responded, as they all jumped across a gap.

"Leaving the fight just pisses me off." Vega growled.

"But you're here to ask Victus to do the same thing." Garrus pointed out. "Leave the fight to make nice in some boardroom."

"This summit is the only chance we've got." Shepard stated. "None of us are beating the Reapers alone."

"Again, Time Lords." The Doctor coughed.

The team climbed up another ledge as a Harvester flew overhead. There was a squad of Turian soldiers, nearby a downed fighter.

"Soldier, you okay?" Shepard addressed.

"Yes sir, we'll be okay." The Turian responded.

"Have any of you seen General Victus?" Garrus inquired.

"Half hour ago." The Turian soldier answered. "He was headed south."

"Okay." Garrus nodded. "Good luck."

"Yes sir." The other Turian saluted.

"Come on, Shepard." Garrus directed. "He should be this way." Garrus took point.

As they were walking along, a Harvester shot down a Turian fighter, making it crash directly in front of them.

"That was a little closer than I'd like!" Garrus said, once the explosion cleared.

"I'll say." Vega breathed.

Shepard crashed, and shook her head. "No survivors."

"Crash like that, it's not surprising." Garrus stated, leading them down a series of small ledges. "Come on, we shouldn't be too far."

"So, Shepard," Vega suddenly piped up, "Do you think this summit will actually work? Asari? Salarians? Where's the Krogan and Batarians? Where's the meat?"

"It's not that easy." Shepard shook her head.

"Contrary to what you might think, the Batarians actually took the brunt of the initial Reaper attack, so there's not much left of them..." Garrus explained for her. "And the Krogan haven't forgiven any of us for the Genophage."

"Right. The Turians sterilized them." Vega remembered.

"The Salarians engineered it." Garrus reminded him.

"And the Krogan hate them both for it." Shepard continued.

"So they won't be joining us." Garrus finished.

"Too bad." Vega lamented. "I fought with a Krogan. Tough sons of bitches."

The team finally came up on the camp, and two Reaper drop pods fell out of the sky, landing in the camp.

"That sounds bad!" Vega yelled.

"Double time!" Shepard ordered, racing forward. "No Reapers are taking this Primarch from me!"

The team rushed into the camp, past the barricade, into the open area where the drop pods had landed. The team pushed into the camp, steamrolling the Reaper forces that tried to assault them.

All of the forces, except for the Brute. The Brute was angry, flipping over the prefabs, and crushing the Turian soldiers unlucky enough to be close to it when it charged.

"Shepard!" River yelled grabbing the Commander's attention. "I found this! Use it!"

Shepard turned around, and had a gun thrown at her. She reacted fast enough to catch it, and turned back to face down the Brute. It was charging now, so Shepard took the strange weapon, aimed it at the Brute, and pulled the trigger.

The gun took a moment to charge, but once it did so, a dark purple, almost black, sphere shot out of the gun, and hit the Brute. The sphere then exploded in a massive light display, and the Brute was vaporized.

Shepard looked down at the gun with surprise. It looked like a miniature Reaper leg, mounted on top of a stock. Her hud highlighted the weapon, and identified it as the Reaper Blackstar.

"So that's why they call them that." Shepard muttered. She shook herself out of her amazed stupor, and handed the gun back to River, remembering that it was one of the guns on her list. Then, Shepard approached the command center.

The ramp lowered, allowing a Turian in red and black armor to walk down, and approach Shepard.

"General Victus?" Shepard asked.

"Yes." Victus responded, stopping in front of the team.

"I'm Commander Shepard, of the Normandy." She introduced.

"Ah, Commander," He recognized, holstering his assault rifle, "I know who you are. I can't wait to find out why you're here." He turned to Garrus. "Vakarian, where were you?"

"Heavy Reaper unit on the right flank." Garrus responded. "I believe your exact words were 'Get that thing the hell off my men.'"

"Appreciate it." Victus responded.

Shepard cut straight to the chase. "General, you're needed off planet. I've come to get you."

"It will take something beyond important for me to leave my men, or my Turian brothers and sisters, in their fight." Victus stated.

"Fedorian was killed." Garrus told him. "You're the new Primarch."

"There's a war summit being held. I need you there to represent your people so we can find some way to end this war." Shepard explained.

Victus didn't say anything. He pushed past the team, and came to a stop, looking up at the looming, burning visage of Palaven. "I'm Primarch of Palaven?" He breathed, nary believing it. "Negotiating for the Turian Hierarchy?" Victus looked away from Palaven, and towards Shepard. "I spent my whole life in the military, I'm no diplomat... I hate diplomats."

"I don't need you to be a diplomat." Shepard shook her head. "Right now, what the galaxy really needs are people who've had first hand experience with this war. Who've been through this hell."

"I like that. You're right." Victus sighed. "Give me a moment to say goodbye to my men." He requested. Shepard nodded, and Victus walked off to do just that.

Garrus walked over to Shepard. "Without him down here, there's a good chance we lose this moon."

"Without him up there, there's a good chance we lose everything." Shepard retorted.

Garrus turned his head, looking at one of the Reapers walking around. "Look at that! And they want my opinion on how to stop it? Failed C-Sec officer, vigilante... and _I'm_ their expert advisor?" Garrus sighed. "Think you can stop this, Shepard?"

"I don't know, Garrus." She honestly replied. "But I'm sure as hell going to give it my best shot."

"I'm damn sure nobody else can do it. For what it's worth, I'm with you." Garrus stated.

Shepard smiled. "Welcome aboard." She shook his hand. She then turned to Victus. "Are you ready, _Primarch_ Victus?"

Victus turned around, and approached the group. "One thing." He began. "Commander, I understand your need for our fleets, but I can't spare them. Not while Palaven's burning. But if the pressure could be taken off Palaven..."

"That's a pretty tall order." Shepard crossed her arms.

"We need the Krogan." Victus was blunt. "I can't see us winning this without them. Get them to help us, and then we can help you."

"The Krogan..." Shepard repeated.

Garrus mandibles flared out in the Turian version of a smile. "Looks like your war summit just got a lot more interesting..."


	36. From Ashes

With the mission on Palaven over, the team returned to the Normandy, and went back to their assigned posts, while Shepard dealt with the war summit. The Doctor, however, stalked off to Starboard Observation, and set back to work on decoding the plans for the Moment. The fact that he was again working with a weapon known as such to defeat a seemingly invincible enemy bothered him somewhat, but he couldn't dwell on it. Actually, the simple fact that he was working to destroy the Reapers bothered him as well. Hundreds of thousands of civilizations were harvested. Their knowledge, their cultures, everything that made them unique was still there, just... locked away. Shouldn't they be finding a way to talk to the Reapers, get them to step down peacefully, and share their knowledge with the rest of the galaxy?

No, the Reapers were abominations. They twisted and consumed whatever they touched. And the species that comprised the Reapers had long since been dead. While he continued on working, the intercom suddenly bleeped.

"Doctor," Samantha Traynor's voice filtered out, "I have an urgent communication for you from Admiral Hackett."

The Time Lord's eyebrows raised. "Me?"

"That's correct. Forwarding it to the comm room."

The Time lord's curiosity had been piqued. He had heard about the good Admiral from Shepard, enough to know he didn't call unless it was important. So, he got up from what he was doing, and headed up to deck two.

Once the Doctor passed through the threshold into the comm room, he was met with the life-size projection of the distinguished man.

"Doctor." Hackett greeted, snapping off a respectful salute, even though the Doctor wasn't technically military. "A pleasure to finally meet you."

"And you. Forgive me if I don't salute, not my style, you understand."

The corner of Hackett's lips twitched. "I know. I've read yout files."

The Doctor faked being shoked. "Oh, I have files. Which one was your favorite, the living plastic?"

"The Yetis in the sewers, actually." The Admiral corrected. He then shook his head. "As much as I'd like to talk about old files, we should get down to business."

"Right." The Doctor nodded. "I assumed this wasn't a social call."

"Unfortunately, that"w's exactly right." Hackett sighed, and his expression went grim. "Tell me, what do you know about the Cybermen?"

"That they're ruthless conquerors hell bent on converting all life into more of themselves, or failing that, destroying it. But from what I understand, you lot took care of them and then erased all evidence that they ever existed."

Hackett rubbed his forehead, as if trying to alleviate a headache. He sighed, and continued speaking. "The Cyber Wars were one of the most turbulent parts of human history. After the Cybermen were finally vanquished, and humanity entered the galactic scene, the records were altered. Devastating Cyberman attacks became terrorist plots, and it was all quietly buried."

The Doctor frowned. "Why would you hide something like that?"

Hackett launched into another explanation. "After learning about the quarians, of how they created the geth and were kicked off the Citadel for it, we didn't want the same thing happening to humanity, not so soon after we joined galactic polotics. Even though the Cybermen weren't technically AI, and we had no knowledge of those laws, wars had been started over less, and we couldn't risk it."

"I understand the reasoning, but that doesn't explain why I'm talking to you."

Hackett looked around, as if checking to make sure he was alone. "One of our colonial garrisons reported an attack by Reaper forces of unknown type. Their description matched the Cybermen almost exactly."

The Doctor's brow shot up as his eyes widened. "They're working for the Reapers?"

Hackett shook his head. "We don't know. Reaper ground units are rarely seen without an actual Reaper nearby. It's possible they're working with the Reapers, but I think the Cybermen are using the Reaper invasion as a smokescreen."

"Hiding their operations by making it look like the Reapers are responsible." He nodded.

"Exactly. But no matter which way we look at it, it's bad news. If they are back in force, then I don't need to tell you that a two front war would be the last thing we need right now. Along with Reaper-enhanced Cybermen."

"So, why are you telling me this?"

"I need someone to investigate, and with Shepard busy trying to rally the galaxy's forces, you're our best shot."

"I don't take orders from you."

Hackett crossed his arms behind his back. "Doctor, do you really expect me to believe you'd abandon humanity in our hour of need?"

"...no. But if I'm going to do this for you, I'll need to borrow a few people from the Normandy's crew."

Hackett simply nodded in response. "I can authorize a temporary transfer to your command as you see fit."

"Good, thank you. Now, what's this colony I'm supposed to go to?"

"Eden Prime."

"Eden Prime, isn't that where this whole business began?"

"Indeed it is. Do you need transport?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. The TARDIS isn't back up to a hundred percent, but short hops within the galaxy should be fine."

Hackett nodded."I'll leave you to it. Hackett out."

The Doctor shook his head, briefly contemplating the mess he was about to get into, as he headed down to the lower decks in search of Susan and River.

Later, on board the TARDIS...

Susan strode into the console room, stretching her arms. "I'm glad to finally be out of that uniform, it was itchy. So, what's this colony we're heading to again?"

"Eden Prime." River answered, in a hardsuit and checking over her weapons. "It's where Shepard discovered the prothean beacon that gave her the vision of the Reapers."

"I see... so, in a way, we've come full circle?" Susan concluded.

"I suppose, in a way." The Doctor agreed as the TARDIS's engines ground to a halt and the ship materialized. "Now then, let's go see what's out there..." He said, taking charge out the doors.

The door shut behind Susan, who was last out, and the three looked over the colony. It was, quite simply, beautiful, like a scene out of a painting.

Waterfalls out of the sides of distant cliffs cascaded, feeding one massive river in the distance. Rolling hills, covered in thick canopies of trees stretched into the horizon, and large metal towers jutted out of the ground, touching the sky. Something was amiss, however.

"Where is everybody?" Susan questioned, quite rightly.

Though the TARDIS had landed in a settled area, given away by the prefabs set up quite close to each other, the people that were supposed to be inhabiting them were gone.

But the Doctor knew exactly what had happened to them. "This was the site of the Cyberman attack Hackett told me about. Everyone that was here is either converted by now, or..."

"Dead." River finished.

"But why attack this place?" He frowned. "If they were trying to convert as many as possible, they would have attacked a larger settlement, unless..."

"They were here for something else." Susan concluded.

"Right." The Doctor nodded. "Why don't we walk around, and take a look?"

Before they could start moving however, Susan froze up.

"Susan?" The Doctor approached her with worry. "What's wrong?"

"Do you hear that?" Susan whispered.

"Hear what?" River frowned.

"Shh!" Susan shushed. " _Listen_."

The Doctor closed his eyes, and tried to listen out for what Susan was hearing. After a short while, he could hear it.

Loud hydraulic clanging, as if being made by an army of marching metal men, was getting closer and closer to the three.

"The Cybermen... They're coming!" He breathed in fear. He grabbed hold of Susan and River's wrists, and pulled them along. "Come on! We need to find what they were looking for before they get here!"

As they ran along the dirt paths, Susan pointed something out. "Look. The colonists was excavating here."

Indeed, a large quarry was slap-bang in the middle of the outpost. Towers, seemingly made of Prothean technology, stuck out of the ground.

"You think they found something in there?" River suggested.

"Maybe." The Doctor agreed. "It would explain why the Cybermen chose to waste their time on such a small outpost."

The three continued through the area, and came to a metal outcropping, with a control panel facing them.

"It's an elevator control." River pointed out, walking over to it. "Whatever the colonists found is still on board. Let me bring it up." She tapped a few commands into the panel, and the floor beneath them shook slightly as the elevator engaged. The elevator came up to their level, and halted.

The three's eyes widened as they saw what was on the platform.

"It's prothean." River breathed.

"No... it's _a_ prothean." The Doctor corrected, slowly walking onto the platform.

"But that can't be right. They died out fifty-thousand years ago!" Susan stated. "Even for Time Lords, it's impossible to live that long."

"That's because it's not alive. But it's not dead either." The Doctor explained, scanning it with the sonic. "Not fully. Stasis capsule, that's what this thing is. Keeping it's occupant comfortably asleep for the past fifty millennia. It must smell terrible in there."

"Didn't the Reapers turn the protheans into the Collectors?" River asked. "Is that what's in there?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. This is an original, unmodified prothean, fully intact. Liara's going to have a fit."

"That doesn't seem possible." Susan said, looking at the pod.

"Shepard saw prothean stasis capsules on Ilos." The Doctor said, stepping even closer to the pod. "Those failed due to insufficient power, but this one's power has been continnuously running for all that time, keeping the prothean popsicle inside stable. If they chose this one to put into stasis... they must have been greatly revered."

"So, can we open it?" River asked.

The Doctor pursed his lips, and peered at the pod's single control panel on the front. "I think so. We'd have to, in fact. The pod's entirely dependent on the facility below for power, the moment we disconnect it..."

"The power fails." River continued.

"And the prothean inside dies." The Doctor concluded.

"So, let's crack this thing open." River said stepping forward.

"No!" The Doctor blocked her. "Physically breaking it open would kill him. We need to send it the command signal, the password. if you'd like."

"The labs nearby could have what we're looking for." Susan stated.

The Doctor nodded at the suggestion, and the three stepped off the elevator. Suddenly, an explosion tore through one of the prefabs in front of them, kicking up dirt and heat.

When the dust had settled, a legion of Cybermen stood on the other side.

One stepped forward of the group, and began speaking.

"Non-human presence detected!" The Cyberman proclaimed. "You are incompatible! You will be deleted!"


	37. March of the Cybermen

"You will be deleted!" The Cybermen echoed, as they raised their arms, with the intent to fire.

River was quick to act fast. She unholstered a singularity grenade from her belt, and threw it into the crowd of Cybermen. It went off, and created a singularity, picking up some Cybermen in the process. The singularity ate away at their thick metal armor, exposing some of their weaker innards.

River then took the pistol at her side, and fired at the torsos of each one, aiming for the Cybermen's power sources. Only a few shots hit right on target, but it was enough to cause a chain reaction of explosions, taking care of the Cybermen in the singularity.

It only seemed to agitate the other Cybermen, however, if a Cybermen could experience such a thing.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!" The other Cybermen cried as they marched forward.

The three organics dove behind cover.

"Great job, River, you just managed to anger the Legion of Cybermen!" The Doctor yelled, as a laser blast came close to his head.

"Don't worry, I have a plan!" She responded, taking another grenade from her belt, and throwing it into the group.

It detonated, freezing four of them in place. The cryo grenade had managed to turn the metal armor of the four Cybermen brittle enough to be shattered by the four gunshots that followed, causing the frozen Cybermen to topple to the ground, headless.

River took the assault rifle she had holstered, and activated its incendiary ammunition, aiming for the heads of the remaining Cybermen, and the parts of their bodies not covered in the thick metal armor plating, while the Doctor and Susan ran interference using their sonic screwdrivers.

By the end of the short battle, all of the Cybermen lay on the ground, dead.

"I think that's all of them." The Doctor said. "For now. Come on, let's find that lab."

The three headed towards the edge of the compound, passing through the buildings, until they came to one with a locked door that had to be the lab.

The Doctor bypassed the door using the sonic screwdriver, and headed inside.

Approaching the computer terminal on the wall, the Doctor tapped in a few commands, seeing what the terminal had stored. It began playing back a recording of organic ground troopers fighting the reapers, but these were... different. They were bipedal, that much was obvious, they were wearing odd suits of armor unlike anything else in the galaxy, and their heads... they looked almost like Collectors.

' _The Protheans._ ' The Doctor thought to himself.

As he watched the video, he was suddenly pulled into a memory.

_The bunker was breached. The enemy had found them. Thousands were already dead, many more were missing. Unless the remainder entered stasis now, the Protheans' total extinction was certain._

_He and his troops valiantly fought against the... abominations the others had become._

_But even then, he and his men were being pushed back. A shot from one of the indoctrinated tore into Kaang, killing him. Enraged, he called upon his biotics to push them back, killing them with the sheer amount of raw power he commanded._

_He ran over to Kaang, picking up his fallen comrade's form. "Victory, seal the bulkheads!" He commanded, dragging the body behind the closing blast doors._

_The door sealed with a clang, and he let go of Kaang's body. He turned around, and looked at the columns of fire climbing up the sides of the bunker._

_"How many?" He demanded of Victory._

_"Approximately 300,000 lifepods have been destroyed." The VI reported._

_He approached a lifepod, tapped in the command code, and watched as it opened, revealing the charred corpse of the commander._

_"A third of our people..." He sighed, placing his hand on the shoulder of the corpse, he sent a silent prayer to the gods._

_"Alert!" Victory suddenly flashed, startling him out of the prayer. "North side bulkhead could not be sealed, hostiles inbound!"_

_"Then all forces to the north!" He commanded, taking charge, and leading the remaining troops forth._

Suddenly, he took in a sharp inhale of air, and the Doctor was back in reality.

"What..." He began, heavily breathing. "Was that?"

"What do you mean, grandfather?" Susan questioned. "It was just static."

"It was like... I was having a flashback." The Doctor frowned. "But it wasn't _me_ in the flashback. I was a Prothean."

"Of course..." Susan seemed to realize something. "Grandfather, when Compassion helped sort out Shepard's memories, didn't you act as a bridge? To prevent Shepard's brain from being overloaded?"

"I did... You don't think I accidentally got Shepard's cipher?" The Doctor wondered.

"Explains how you could understand all of that." River concluded. "Did you see the pod's command code?"

"Part of it, but not all of it." The Doctor said. "Let's see if we can go find the rest of it."

The three headed towards the other end of the colony, to the other lab. While they were cutting through the center, a voice suddenly echoed through the colony.

_"All cyber-units,_ " The synthesized voice of a cyberman announced, _"converge on Prothean dig site alpha."_

"That doesn't sound good." Susan stated.

"I don't think we'll be able to take on a full cyberman army." River said. "Let's go find the command signal before they get here."

The team picked up the pace, and headed into the next lab. The Doctor found the terminal, and entered the activation command. A video started up, and he was pulled into another memory.

_They were walking through the bunker, heading towards what empty lifepods were left. The immediate threat had been dealt with for now, but the enemy was patient. The only hope for survival now, was to outwait the enemy._

_"I never believed our empire would fall." Jaal said next to him._

_He stopped, turning to face the other Prothean. "So long as one of us remains, it has not fallen. We will sleep, until the Reapers return to dark space. Then, we shall return, a million strong!"_

_Jaal nodded. "For the empire."_

_"For the empire." He responded. "Get to your stasis pod."_

_Jaal nodded, an ran off to his pod._

_"Victory, send out the readiness signal to the other lifepods." He commanded._

_Victory flickered into existence beside him. "And the refugees that have yet to reach the bunker?"_ _He stayed silent for a few moments. "They will be remembered."_ _Suddenly, the bunker shook, as more of the indoctrinated appeared._

The Doctor shook off his disorientation as the weight of the new memories filling his mind. "I think I have the signal the Protheans used now. Let's head back to the pod."

Susan and River nodded, and followed the Doctor's lead.

They approached the pod, and the Doctor accessed the control panel. He typed the code in, sent the command signal, and stepped back.

The pod hissed, and let out spurts of cold, fifty-thousand year old air as it opened, revealing the Prothean inside.

"Hmm..." River peered into the pod. "It may take some time for him to-"

The Prothean's eyes suddenly shot open, and he looked around. He looked at Susan first, then River, before finally focusing on the Doctor.

His biotics flared up, and he pushed the three away. He slowly, but desperately, tried to climb out of his pod. His leg caught the edge, and he fell. As he looked up, he finally noticed the state of the planet around him, and froze. His mout parted in shock, and he slowly came to his feet.

"Careful," The Doctor told the others as they walked back over, "he's disoriented. He may not know where he is." He approached the Prothean. "Hello," The Time Lord greeted, "I don't want to hurt you, I'm the Doctor." He held out his hand, and the Prothean looked at it for a moment, before reaching out and making contact. Suddenly, the Doctor was in another memory.

_"...a few minutes!" He demanded, turning to face victory._

_"No." The VI shook its head. "There is no other option."_ _"_

_There are other pods online!" He retorted. "Those soldiers are still alive!"_

_"Their sacrifice will be honored in the coming empire." Victory stated. "Preparing neutron bombardment. Get to your pod."_

_He clenched his fist, but relented. He ran over to the pod, and it opened, allowing him to lay down inside._

_"Neutron bombardment underway." Victory reported, as the massive explosions shook the pod._

_"The bunker is secure, Commander Javik." Victory reported as the explosions stopped._

_"What is left of it." He corrected. "A few hundred people. How am I to rebuild the empire from that?"_

_"Further adjustments may be necessary." Victory stated. "The neutron purge compromised the facility."_

_"Clarify." He demanded._

_"Sensors offline." Victory began. "Automated reactivation is no longer an option. You will remain in stasis until a new culture discovers this bunker. This may lead to a power shortage."_

_"Do not shut off more pods!" He demanded. "I need the few that are left!"_

_"Power needs will be triaged appropriately." Victory stated. "You will be the voice of our people._ _"_

_"I will be more than that." He retorted as he slipped into unconsciousness._

The connection broke and the Doctor staggered back as the Prothean, apparently named Javik, fell to his knees.

"How many others?" Javik questioned, not wasting a single moment.

"Just you." The Doctor told him. "When I touched you, I saw..."

"Our last moments." Javik stated, standing back up. "Our failure."

"I'm sorry." The Doctor told Javik. "I know what it's like. To be the last of your kind."

"Hmm." Javik snorted, saying nothing. After a moment, he spoke. "I suppose I owe you my gratitude, Time Lord."

"You know what I am?"

"Yes." Javik nodded. "Your people were formidable."

"Doctor!" River spoke up. "There's a massive group of Cybermen heading our way."

Javik frowned. "The Cybermen? They are here?"

"You know of them?" Susan asked.

"There were legends about them, in my time." Javik explained. "The empire fought a great war with them before the Reapers arrived."

The Doctor frowned. "That can't be right. The Cybermen didn't exist back then, unless..."

"Unless what, grandfather?" Susan questioned.

"I can explain later." The Doctor brushed off. "We should get back to the TARDIS. Javik, if there is anything in that pod you need, I suggest you grab it now."

Javik nodded, and walked back over to the pod. He took his particle rifle, and an oddly shaped... thing out of a storage compartment.

The Doctor nodded, and the four broke out into a sprint, back toward the TARDIS's landing site.

The Cyberman marched into the outpost in force, narrowly missing the four as they entered the TARDIS and took off.

Once Cyber-unit approached another, and began speaking. "The Prothean has escaped."

"Unacceptable." The other stated. "The Prothean must be located at all costs. It is the only being in the galaxy that knows the location of Mondas."

"We will increase our efforts. Mondas must be found."

"We will reach the promised land!"


	38. Interlude: The Normandy II

_"Doctor."_ Admiral Hackett greeted, flickering into existence in the Normandy's comm room. _"I've just recieved the report you sent me. Are you serious? You found an actual, living Prothean, Javik?"_

The Doctor nodded. "Indeed we did. His presence was the reason why the Cybermen chose to invade Eden Prime in the first place."

 _"I see."_ Hackett then frowned, and rubbed his chin in a contemplating gesture. _"Although, it does make me wonder what interest the Cybermen have in Javik. Conversion, maybe?"_

"Maybe." The Doctor shrugged. "Although, invading a planet seems like a lot of effort to go through just to convert a single person. There is something that may give us a hint to their motives." The Doctor brought up his omni-tool, entered a few commands, and watched as a planet was projected next to him.

 _"Is that Earth?"_ Hackett questioned. Indeed, the planet looked identical, only upside-down.

"Close." The Doctor stated. "This is Mondas. Earth's twin planet, and the homeworld of the Cybermen. Well, one of them."

Hackett frowned. _"I don't follow."_

The Doctor took in a breath, and began explaining. "Think of it as parallel evolution. The Cybermen are the product of countless different races, all with the technology and the lack of restraint to eventually turn into the Cybermen. I've seen it before. Telos, Marinus, Planet 14, Mondas, your version of Earth, all of them inhabited by vastly different organisms that all gave rise to the Cybermen... All roads lead to Rome if you'd like."

_"I understand, but what's the significance of that now?"_

"Admiral, I believe that the Cybermen we fought on Eden Prime weren't the Cybermen created by Cybus Industries, but Mondasian."

_"But they were indentical to the Cybermen Cybus created. How can you be sure?"_

"Ah, that's where you're wrong." The Time Lord began. "You said you recieved the initial descriptions from the colonial garrison of Eden Prime. They missed a vital detail. The Cybus Industries logo was entirely missing. If they were the Cybermen created by Mr Lumic, that logo's written into the schematics, every Cyberman ever created would have it. Instead, the part of the chest where the logo ought to be was blank."

 _"So they're not the Cybermen humanity created. That's a tremendous relief. The last thing we needed were the other races refusing to work with us because they were attacking."_ Hackett stated. _"In any event, I'm pleased to report that the Cybermen have completely withdrawn from Eden Prime. And they left most of the population intact as well."_

The Doctor just shook his head. "You may think that's a victory, but you know as well as I do that they won't rest until they have what they want."

_"I do, and that's why, until further notice, I'm authorizing Javik to be posted on the Normandy. With its stealth systems, and how often it moves around, the Normandy is the safest place for him to be right now."_

"You think he'll agree to that?"

Hackett nodded. _"He's a soldier, and the last of his kind. Right now, the only familiar experience for him is likely fighting the Reapers. The Normandy can, hopefully, give him a chance to integrate."_

"I'll tell Shepard, then."

 _"I'll leave you to it. Hackett out."_ With that, the Admiral flickered out of existence, and the Doctor headed down to deck four, where Javik was waiting.

The Doctor strode into the port side cargo hold, where apparently, Javik had drawn a crowd.

Two marines stood, blocking Liara from approaching the Prothean, and Shepard stood further back, simply watching. As the Doctor walked in, she turned to face him.

"So, a living Prothean." Shepard began. "And I thought _I_ found the wierd ones."

"I tend to have a habit of bringing home strays," The Doctor shrugged, "the missus hates it. What's the issue?" He asked, watching Liara angrily argue with the two marines.

"Liara wants to bombard him with questions, but first contact protocol says 'don't attack, but assume hostile intent.' Guess we have Shanxi to thank for that." Shepard shrugged. "Is he safe?"

The Doctor looked over to Javik, who was kneeling on the floor in some sort of meditative state. "He's fine. If he was actively hostile, he could've turned everyone in the room into a fine red mist by now."

Shepard nodded, and she turned to face the marines. She gestured without speaking, and the two marines saluted, before clearing the room.

Shepard stepped forward. "I'm Commander Shepard, captain of this ship. You are?"

Javik did not answer at first, but he opened his eyes, and stood up. He seemed to sniff at the air, and began speaking. "I can smell your fear, your anxiety. The Reapers are winning."

Shepard stepped back. "What do you mean?"

"All life provides clues for those who can read them." Javik said, looking away. "It is a skill that even you may master someday, gallifreyan."

Hearing that last sentence, the Doctor stepped forward. "You said back on Eden Prime that my race was 'formidable.' What did you mean by that?"

Javik blinked. "Your race stood against us when none others chose to do so. We thought you to be easy pickings. The sight of a dozen worlds burning in retribution told us otherwise."

"I see." The Doctor said. "You also said your people had legends of the Cybermen?"

"Yes." Javik nodded. "Though my people knew them by a different name: the metacon. The empire fought a long and bloody war with them, pushing them back to their homeworld. We were victorious, but the war left us drained, when the Reapers arrived, we were easy pickings."

Liara then chose that moment to approach. "We found the archives your people left behind on Mars. They told of how your people surrendered to the Reapers, but not why. I was hoping you could explain?"

Javik looked away from all of them, staring out into space. After a few seconds, he began speaking. "The Silence."

"'Silence will fall when the question is asked.'" The Doctor quoted.

That got Javik's attention, and the Prothean stared, wide-eyed. "You know... How do you know?"

Shepard and Liara looked at the Doctor, almost expectant.

"I've... encountered them before." The Doctor explained. "They're an order, almost fanatics, dedicated to making sure the question is never answered. But that was in my universe... It has to mean something different here."

Javik inhaled. "The Reapers told us it was the end."

"The end?" Shepard frowned. "Of what?"

"Of everything." Javik answered. "All forms of life, all civilizations, not only in the Milky Way, but across the entire universe. All matter in the universe would become dust, the dust would become atoms, and the atoms would become nothing. The Reapers offered us survival, a chance to escape. Some accepted, the rest chose to fight."

"Like you." The Doctor concluded. "So why did you choose to fight?"

"I was born long after the message was sent." Javik explained. "We knew what had happened to those that accepted the Reapers' offer. We refused to let the same fate befall us."

"Hold on," Shepard butted in, "Vigil, the VI on Ilos, said that no offer of surrender was given."

Javik stayed silent. "VI's are not infallible." He waited for a few moments. "Commander, if you would have it, I wish to stay on board this vessel, and continue to fight the Reapers."

Shepard, however, frowned. "You just came from watching your species go extinct, and you want to keep fighting so soon?"

Javik turned away from them, facing the odd little object he'd brought with him, now floating above a table. Javik ran a finger along the strip of light on the tiny object. "This is the echo shard. It holds the combined knowledge of all Protheans, the voices of a trillion dead screaming for vengeance. The Prothean empire will have retribution, I will fight the Reapers, whether or not I am on board this ship, and the only thing the final Reaper hears as it dies, will be the voice of the last Prothean singing victory."

"Well then," Shepard straightened out her uniform, and held a hand out for Javik to shake, which the Prothean took. "Welcome aboard."

Javik nodded, and released his grip. "I look forward to fighting the Reapers alongside you. Now then, I believe I have taken enough of your time."

Shepard nodded. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"I will not. Thank you, Commander."

With that, Shepard nodded, and left the room, with the Doctor following close behind, and Liara staying to ask Javik some more questions.

While the Doctor was walking past the medbay, however, he caught a glimpse of someone inside. Someone he hadn't seen since the Collector base.

He rushed inside, and a smile broke out on his face. "Mordin!"

The Salarian turned around in startled surprise, and he smiled pleasantly. "Doctor! Was wondering when you would appear."

"How have you been? I haven't seen you since that business with the Collectors."

"Returned to Sur'kesh, resumed work with STG." Mordin answered. "Shepard looking to cure genophage, came along to help."

"I'm happy to hear that." The Time Lord nodded. "The genophage was a terrible mistake."

"No." Mordin denied. "Genophage correct course of action at time, but current situation requires..." The salarian inhaled, "course correction."

The Doctor frowned, but quickly hid it by changing the subject. "Well, I'm glad you're back. The Normandy was lacking seriously in salarian scientists-turned-stage actors."

Mordin smiled once more. "Should put on production of _Pirates of Penzance._ Will be good for morale."

"We should. Although, it might be hard to find EDI a part."

"Not necessarily. New body produces plenty of alternatives."

"Wait, wait, wait." The Doctor held up his hand. "EDI has a body now?"

"Yes." Mordin nodded. "Currently on bridge with Joker."

"Alright, this I have to see. It was nice talking to you again, Mordin."

Mordin nodded, and turned back to his work. "Should come back soon, could use help."

"I will." The Doctor responded, and he rushed out of the medbay, heading up to deck two.

The Doctor proceeded down the hall, keeping a brisk pace, and entered the bridge.

Joker had already turned in for the night, it seemed, but was a gynoid sat in the co-pilot's seat. Her skin was gray, and her hair looked to be one solid piece. Noticing the entry, she turned to the Doctor.

"Hello, Doctor." EDI told him, standing up to face him.

"EDI." The Doctor greeted, "Mordin told me you got a body, but I needed to see it for myself." He looked her over, examining the finer details of her construction. "Oh, wow. I've not seen an infiltration unit this well-built since Kamelion."

"Thank you." EDI smiled. She was quick on the uptake when it came to human gestures, it seemed. "I am looking forward to testing it in the field."

"I should certainly hope so." The Doctor responded. "You've been cooped up in the Normandy's systems for too long. Although, it seems to be a bit ill-suited to infiltration now..."

"This unit had an artificial skin-sheath." EDI explained. "It was burned off during the crash that disabled it."

"That's a bit unfortunate..." The Doctor frowned. "Although, we could just grow you another one. The TARDIS's medical bay has the equipment for it."

EDI raised one of her eyebrows. "You could grow me organic skin?"

The Doctor nodded. "Sure. It's not hard. Your body would just have to be shut down for a few hours, like an organic being put under anasthesia."

"It would allow me to integrate with the crew more efficiently..." EDI contemplated.

"Take all the time you need to think about it." The Doctor said. "When you come to a decision, just let me know."

"Thank you, Doctor. I will return to my post." And she sat back down in her seat.

With that, the Doctor had finally decided to turn in for the night as well. He walked back into the TARDIS, seeking out his bedroom, and he layed down. The clutches of sleep took him within minutes, and he fell into dreamland...


	39. School Reunion

_He was in his office in Chronos Station, looking over the latest reports on the battles raging at the moment. More colonies were lost, hundreds more starships were destroyed, and here he was, sat in an office far too large for just one man._

_The galaxy was burning, and he was powerless to stop it._

_It was not a feeling he liked, being powerless. He always had some degree of control over a situation, no matter how small, but this current situation with the Reapers made him feel that no matter what he did, he was still just playing into their hands._

_He wouldn't be strong enough to defeat them._ Humanity _wouldn't be strong enough to defeat them._

_But... there might be someone who could. He tapped in a few comands into the holographic console, and watched as a hologram -all of the Council's data on Gallifrey- flickered to life._

_He frowned-it seemed the one piece of data he was looking for, the co-ordinates, were classified. Sealed not by firewalls, but physical seperation from the rest of the files._ _It didn't matter, he had ways of getting past that._

_He tapped a button on the arm of his chair. "Leng, I have a new mission for you. Come to my office immediately."_

_While he waited, he began drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair._

The Doctor's eyes slowly opened, and he looked around, the details of the dream fresh in his mind. He picked sleep out of his eyes, and looked up at the cieling.

"What was that?" The Doctor quietly questioned. "Trying to tell me something, eh old girl?"

The gentle, steady humming of the TARDIS in the back of his neck was the only response.

The Doctor frowned. The TARDIS didn't often cause him to experience dreams like that. Almost never, in fact. The last occasion the Time Lord could think of was Sarah Jane's wedding, alerting him to that business with the Trickster.

If this dream was anything like that, then something was about to go down. Problem is, when? Or were the banshee circuits playing up again, and there was no real danger at all?

Ah, well, he'd have plenty of time to dwell on that later. For now, it was time to get back to work.

But as he stepped out of the TARDIS, the Doctor couldn't help but think he was missing something. 

Why would the Illusive Man want Gallifrey?

* * *

A few minutes after waking up, the Doctor had received the summons to join the rest of the ground team in the shuttle bay.

There really was no rest for the wicked, it seemed. Fortunately, Time Lords didn't require nearly as much sleep as humans, so the Doctor was ready and able to answer at a moment's notice.

From what Shepard told him, and the rest of the team, Mordin's work on the genophage cure was taking longer than expected, so in the meantime, the Commander decided to check out a distress signal from Grissom Academy, a school for the gifted.

When the Normandy jumped into the system, it easily became apparent why the academy required assistance.

Cerberus was there.

The Doctor wondered how they could have taken a station of such size. Shepard explained that, due to the war's severity, the students would have been sent home, leaving only a small skeleton crew to maintain the station.

So now, they were on a shuttle, with the Normandy providing a distraction allowing the shuttle to sneak in without being detected.

The shuttle docked, allowing the team to exit, and proceed into the station. The academy's head, Kahlee Sanders sent regular status updates to Shepard, guiding them to the server room she was holed up inside.

The team made quick work of the Cerberus troopers inside, and Kahlee opened the door, greeting the Commander.

She quickly explained the situation. The remaining students, who stayed behind to help the war effort, were pinned down with a teacher in Orion Hall.

Wasting no time, the Commander took point, leading the team out of the server room, and towards Orion Hall.

The Academy was mostly deserted. Even the Cerberus force that had assaulted the station was only the crew of a single cruiser. They had obviously expected an easy fight, but now that Shepard was here, she was going to make them work for it.

As they walked through, they were forced to watch a pair of Cerberus troops drag a student by his ankles, the kid screaming as he was pulled along.

Shepard tried to break the glass, but it had been reinforced, in case that section of the station was depressurized. One of the Cerberus troopers noticed this, and barely glanced at her, entirely unconcerned. The door shut behind them, and they were gone.

"Barbaric." Javik commented from his place in the squad.

"I won't let those bastards take any more." Shepard growled, and the Doctor agreed. "Let's keep moving, we're on a time crunch here."

As they kept moving, aa Cerberus announcer tried feeding propaganda over the loudspeakers. It took everything in Shepard not to pump the speakers full of lead.

As they entered the next room, they came across two more troopers trying to get a student to drop his barrier. Shepard didn't hesitate to fire upon them. When the fighting had stopped, the student dropped the barrier, gave the team thanks, told them to be on the lookout for his sister, and scurried off to security.

The team pushed forward, moving through some classrooms and administration areas, pushing through more Cerberus troops.

They found another student, the other student's sister, and sent her to security as well. Then, the team continued forward. They found the path into Orion Hall, and entered.

There, a battle was unfolding between Cerberus and the students, with a powerful biotic coordinating the students. A woman Shepard would recognize in a heartbeat.

"Jack?" Shepard said.

"Shepard?" Jack questioned. Then, the exchange was rudely interrupted by the arrival of a large ATLAS mech.

Seeing the mech getting ready to open fire on Jack, the team opened fire on the mech, drawing its attention.

"Keep that thing off us!" Jack shouted, pushing one of her students up the stairs.

The team dove into cover, popping out every few seconds to fire.

"Doctor!" Shepard shouted. "Got anything to deal with that thing?"

"Sure do!" He changed the setting on the sonic, and peeked out to point it at the ATLAS. He pressed down on the activator, though nothing happened. "I can't do anything while its shields are still up!"

Shepard nodded. "Garrus, EDI, hit it with an overload!"

"Roger that!" "Affirmative!" Garrus and EDI chorused, peeking out to shoot the blasts of energy at the mech.

The mech's shields sparked and spluttered as they fell, giving the Doctor his chance. He pressed down on the sonic screwdriver activator, and the mech's weapons stopped firing.

"It's weapons are jammed!" The Doctor informed the team.

Shepard and the rest of the squad jumped out, and opened fire. Liara hit the mech with a warp, tearing part of its armor, while James hit the mech with a carnage shot. Shepard's was the last blow, as she jumped up and slammed the ground, unleashing a nova.

The mech finally had too much, and it spluttered and kicked out flames. The mech's power core finally exploded, reducing the ATLAS to nothing more than a heap of scrap.

"Kahlee said she was putting out an SOS!" Jack shouted from up top. "I had no idea the Queen of the Girl Scouts would show up!" She turned around to give orders to her students, then jumped down to meet Shepard. She strode up to Shepard, and clocked her across the face. "Damn it, how many times have I told you not to trust Cerberus!?"

Shepard rubbed her cheek. Jack had a mean right hook. "Trust me, you're not telling me anything I haven't told myself."

"Oh..." Jack stepped closer. "Feel bad? Well shit, I guess that's a _big_ comfort to all the people Cerberus has killed!"

"Jack." The Doctor stepped forward. "I see you're as... charming as ever."

"Doc." Jack returned. "That bowtie still looks ridiculous."

"Oi, its cool!"

"Okay." Jack looked back at Shepard. "All I care about right now is getting my guys out of here."

"Your guys?" Shepard smiled.

Jack looked up at the students. "Yeah. I guess so."

"I can't think of anyone who would care about them more." Shepard told her.

"Well, I had some free time while you were off playing hero." Jack said. "The Alliance knew I helped you. They offered me this, and apparently the students responded well to my teaching style." Jack raised her voice for the last part, so her students could hear.

"The psychotic biotic!" A male student responded.

"'I will destroy you!'" A female one shouted.

"Drink your juice, Rodriguez!" Jack retorted. "You couldn't destroy wet tissue paper!"

 _"Cortez to extraction team."_ The Lieutenant radioed. _"The Cerberus cruiser's comin' back."_

Shepard looked at Jack and the students, and paused briefly. "Get back to the Normandy, Cortez. We'll find an alternate route off the station."

_"Understood. Cortez out."_

"Shepard to Sanders." Shepard radioed. "The shuttle's a no-go. We'll need to find another way off the station."

 _"Understood."_ The woman responded. _"I can probably find another way, but I'll need station-wide camera access. Cerberus locked it down, but their control terminal's in Orion Hall, can you find it?"_

Shepard looked around, and saw a laptop sitting on a bench. She walked over to it, and disabled the lockout.

_"Got it. Okay, if we can get to the shuttlebay and commandeer a Cerberus shuttle, that should give us an escape route. The fastest way to the shutle bay is through the Atrium."_

"Understood." Shepard responded. "We'll give the students a little time to regroup, and then we'll head out."

The Doctor took that moment to butt in. "Tell me, Kahlee, do you have access to the station's door controls?"

_"No, that's routed through a different system."_

The Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver, and used it on the terminal. "There, try it now."

_"I have full control. How did you...?"_

"Trade secret." The Doctor winked at a camera. "Can you lock down all the doors alongside the path?"

A short pause occured. _"Done. That hasn't taken care of the Cerberus troops already in your way, but it should prevent them from calling in reinforcements. I'll get to the shuttles ahead of you and get a pair ready to fly."_

"Roger that." Shepard responded. "We'll meet you there." Shepard turned to Jack and the students. "Everyone be ready to go. We'll head in first, and draw their fire."

Jack nodded. "We'll shadow you on the second level and hit those fu..." Jack cut herself off, and cringed. "Those guys from above."

Shepard raised an eyebrow, but chose not to ask.

"Good plan." The Doctor complimented. "Keeps them out of the line of fire, too."

Shepard nodded, and addressed Jack. "Just time your shots and stay safe."

Jack turned to her students. "All right, I didn't bust my ass training you so you can die now. Keep low, pick your targets."

At that moment, the Cerberus announcer chose to address the students by sending the message to their omni-tools.

As the announcer prattled on, the Doctor rolled his eyes, and took the sonic, aiming it at the students. The announcer's voice suddenly cut out.

"There. Now can we go?" The Doctor asked. "Mean Girls comes on later and I promised Susan I'd watch it with her."

"Let's go." Shepard said, taking her assault rifle off her back, leading the team forth. The door sealed behind them, and the team pushed forward.

The door to the atrium opened, and the team charged ahead.

"Careful, it's another one of those mechs!" James pointed out.

"Just like last time!" Shepard commanded.

Garrus and EDI hit the mech with overloads, allowing the Doctor to pop up and jam its weapons, allowing the rest of the squad to open fire and unleash an array of warps, incineration blasts, and carnage shots at it, taking the mech out.

Now, there were only the regular Cerberus troopers and Engineers to fight. The team pushed forth, cutting through the resistance Cerberus put up. Combat Engineers tried to place down turrets, which the sonic screwdriver made short work of, while Jack and her student unleashed biotic attacks on the Guardians and Centurions from above.

Shepard's team cut through a side hall, to the other side of the atrium, pushing forward towards the shuttle bay.

"Jack, we're pushing ahead to the shuttlebay." Shepard radioed.

_"Got it. We'll see you there."_

The team proceeded into one of the hallways, heading closer to the shuttlebay.

However, as they proceeded along, they ran into a group of Cerberus troopers attempting to get to yet another student. Well, group of students. These three were inside a shield bubble.

Shepard didn't hesitate to biotically charge forward into one of the troopers. She then slammed the ground with a nova, taking care of the other two.

Shepard caught her breath, and addressed the student. "I'm Commander Shepard, I'm here to help."

The student frowned. "I didn't buy it from the last guy, I'm not going to buy it now!"

"The square root of 906.01 equals..." A male student muttured from where he was working on the shield generator.

"30.1." Shepard finished for him.

The student looked up, and smiled slightly. "Hello, Commander Shepard."

Shepard smiled back. "David."

"You know her?" One of the students asked David.

"Yes." David answered. "She saved me, made it quiet."

The students dropped the shield, and David stood up.

"The biotic students are up that way." Shepard pointed. "Stick with them, they'll get you to safety."

The other two students nodded, and walked off, but David stayed behind.

He looked the squad over, stopping to look at EDI. "I recognize you. You're the Normandy's computer. I am... sorry."

"Don't be." EDI responded. "You were not at fault."

"Thank you." David smiled.

"Has Grissom Academy treated you alright?" Shepard asked.

"Yes." David nodded. "I've been counting."

"Anything in particular?" Shepard asked.

"The number of days you lengthened my life." David answered. "Thank you, Shepard."

"You're very welcome, David." Shepard responded. "You should go join your friends."

"I will." David nodded, and followed the path of the other two students.

"Who was that?" The Doctor inquired once David was out of earshot.

"David Archer." Shepard answered. "I'll tell you more after we get out of here. It's... a damn long story."

Shepard and the team continued forth, towards the shuttle bay. But in the room before the shuttle bay, there was a fully operational, and abandoned, ATLAS mech ripe for the taking.

"Shotgun." Shepard called.

"Fuck." James cursed.

Shepard walked over to the mech, and climbed inside. The canopy closed, and Shepard twisted the control sticks experimentally. Shepard pushed forward on the sticks, and the mech began walking forward, up the steps.

The team walked into the shuttlebay lobby, and Cerberus troops began to pour in from the sides.

"Aw yeah!" Shepard yelled as she began firing the mech's gun on the Cerberus troops. "How's this taste assholes!?"

Jack began sending over the students over in groups, while Shepard and the team drew the fire off them.

"Scratch one!" Garrus yelled, as he put a sniper round through the viewing slot of a guardian's shield.

"Like fish in a barrel!" Vega shouted, dropping a Centurion.

"Still don't know what that means!" Garrus returned.

 _"The shuttles are almost ready for take-off._ " Kahlee announced over the loudspeaker.

Jack sent over the second group, and another ATLAS entered the room.

Shepard marched her mech over to the other, raised one of the mech's arms, and bought it down on the other's head, taking down the shields, and cracking the canopy.

Shepard stepped back, and fired a rocket at the mech, shattering the canopy fully, and damaging the mech beyond repair.

 _"The shuttles are ready, we have to leave now!"_ Kahlee announced.

With the threat dealt with, Shepard hopped out, and led the team into the shuttlebay proper, Cerberus hot on their heels. Jack ushered each and every one of the students on the shuttles, and only then did she hop aboard.

Shepard and the team followed suit, and with everyone on the shuttles, the bay doors opened, and the two commandeered Cerberus shuttles departed Grissom Academy for good.


	40. Prologue to Horizon

The Doctor dropped down in a chair in the Normandy's port observation room, staring out into space. From here it all seemed so serene. It was hard to reconcile the serenity of the cosmos, with the fact that more than a dozen worlds were burning.

Still, the mission at Grissom Academy was a success, and though it was a small victory, it made him happy to help get the students off the station, and away from Cerberus's clutches. And it was good to see Jack, even if her tattoos gave him a migraine.

Though he couldn't get the dream he had out of his mind. The one where he was the Illusive Man, trying to get to Gallifrey for some unknown purpose.

He took a sip of his tea, and grimaced. It was, by no means, real tea. The Alliance didn't stock the Normandy during the retrofits, so he had to pick some up on the Citadel. Of course, he had missed the fact that it was dextro-based tea, and that the entire store sold only dextro food, but he had other things to worry about.

As the Doctor took another sip of the tea, Shepard walked in.

"Doctor." Shepard addressed, sitting down on the seat opposite of him.

"Shepard." The Doctor returned. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I don't need as much sleep as other humans." Shepard corrected. "Always thought it was because I was a genetic freak. When I was a kid, I used to wake up at one in the morning, used to run mom ragged."

"But it's not that, is it?" The Doctor guessed.

Shepard looked down, breaking eye contact. "It's... a few nights ago, I had a dream. But it didn't feel like a dream, it felt..."

"Like a memory?" The Doctor jumped up. "You don't think it's the Other again, do you?"

"No, no." She waved, and the Doctor sat back down. "It felt more like... a vision." Shepard crossed her arms. "When I first made contact with the beacon on Eden Prime, it felt... distinct. I can't exactly describe it, but it was a very unique feeling."

"And it felt like that?" The Doctor asked.

Shepard nodded.

"So," The Doctor leaned forward, "What was it about? The dream?"

Shepard took a breath, and began. "I was alone, wandering through a forest. I think I might have been on Gallifrey, and everything around me was dead. The trees, the grass, even the air, I could somehow _feel_ the death around me. And then, Ashley was there."

The Doctor frowned. "Ashley? Who's that?"

"She was another marine, a friend." Shepard explained. "When I led the mission against Saren, we found a cloning facility on Virmire. A lot of things happened, but near the end of it Kaidan had been tasked with keeping watch over a nuke we intended to set off, and Ashley was pinned down with a team of salarians. I went back to make sure the bomb was set off in case Kaidan had already died, but I left Ashley to die in the process."

"I'm sorry to hear that. What was she like?"

Shepard smiled, and leaned back. "I hadn't known her for that long, but she was a good friend, by the end of it. She was tough, took nothing from nobody, and she _loved_ to quote poetry. She was also pretty, for a marine. She wasn't anything like that in the dream. She was... almost like a corpse. Skin grey, her blood vessels were black and showing, her eyes were sunken in and _glowing_ , like a ghost. And then, she disintegrated right in front of me. She just... blew away, like dust in the wind. After that, I woke up."

"That's macabre." The Doctor said. "But interesting... Last night, I also had a dream."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't like yours." The Doctor told her. "I was in the Illusive Man's office, but I _was_ the Illusive Man."

"You _were_ the Illusive Man?" Shepard leaned closer.

The Doctor nodded. "I was. I -or he- was searching for something."

"What?"

"Gallifrey."

Shepard's eyes widened, and she straightened out. "If he's launching an attack on the Time Lords then-"

The Doctor cut her off with a wave. "He didn't have the coordinates, and even if he did, they have the transduction barrier surrounding the planet. He might be able to enter the system, but landing _on_ the planet? Not a chance. The Time Lords of my reality have, for better or for worse, defied gods and demons. That's saying nothing of what your lot's capable of with the Daleks on their side."

"So, we shouldn't worry about it?"

"I didn't say that." The Doctor stood up and straightened his bow tie. "I think it's time we go after Cerberus, before they have the chance to become an even larger nuisance than they already are. What do you say?"

"I think that's a damn good idea." Shepard grinned. "But there might be a small problem. Cerberus is one of the most secretive and compartmentalized organizations in the whole galaxy, nobody knows where their base is. I don't even think _Miranda_ knows."

The Doctor grinned right back. "I broke into the Braxiatel Collection on fifteen separate occasions, it can't be more difficult than that."

"Still, it requires us actually _finding_ the place first." Shepard pointed out.

"There are ways around that." The Doctor pointed out. "The Illusive Man may be rich, but I think even he would have trouble funding a group as big as Cerberus on his own. Cerberus has to have a least a few backers of some kind funding them."

Shepard thought about it for a moment, and snapped her fingers. "Henry Lawson, Miranda's dad." She pulled up her omni-tool, and ran a quick extranet search. "He was one of their earliest backers, and she learned about the group from his dealings with them." On Shepard's omni-tool, Lawson's personal site loaded up, a collection of little more than puff pieces about how great he was, and all his contributions to humanity and the galaxy. At the top of the page, a portrait of the man himself took center stage.

The Doctor leaned closer, and his eyes widened. "Can't be..."

Shepard looked at the picture in concern. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"I know that man."

* * *

"Scaroth! Last of the Jagaroth race, savior of his kind." The Doctor began. Almost the full team, save for Mordin (his progress on the genophage cure was too important) and EDI (she didn't need to be present to watch) gathered in the war room. In the center of the room, the image of a handsome man, probably in his mid-forties, flickered above the war map. The Doctor had encountered this man once before, many centuries ago (maybe even millennia, but it was hard to keep track in the TARDIS), in his fourth regeneration back in 1979. The Doctor paused, taking in the reactions of those in the room around him. "Known aliases: Captain Tancredi, Cardinal Scarlath, Count Scarlioni, and as of today, Henry Lawson."

"And you've met him?" Liara asked.

"Well, not this him, but one like him." The Doctor explained. "When I encountered him, he was hatching a scheme to sell forgeries of the Mona Lisa to unsuspecting buyers."

Garrus raised his eyebrow. "I know we're all about going after the bad guys, but isn't stopping art theft a bit outside our standard operating proceedure?"

The Doctor shook his head. "It went way beyond that. He was going to use the money he got to complete his time travel experiments. See, long before life on Earth began, the Jagaroth were all but wiped out in a war of their own making. One ship survived, and landed on Earth. But the ship's atmospheric maneuvering thrusters were broken, so the morons in charge thought it'd be a good idea to take off using the warp drive instead. The warp engine exploded, Scaroth was splintered throughout time, and the heat and radiation from the explosion catalyzed the development of the first life forms to crawl out of the primordial muck."

"So, the only reason most of us are standing here is because of some ancient alien dude?" Vega asked

The Doctor nodded. "Anyhow, Scaroth was funding his time travel experiments so he could reunite himself at the point he was split, and prevent his ship from exploding in the first place."

"But if he prevented the explosion, that would mean all life on Earth would never come into existence!" River deduced.

"This giving you guys as bad of a headache as I'm getting?" Wrex piped up.

"Welcome to the joys of temporal mechanics." Susan responded.

"I stopped his plans in my fourth regeneration, but here... The Other Doctor and his TARDIS team must not have got around to reliving that one." The Doctor postulated. Despite the fact that he himself had only been in this reality twice before, there were still many events where it was clear a version of him had been involved. The Doctor's best guess was that his Metacrisis was reliving old adventures over here. Well... maybe. There were an awful lot of portraits over here that depicted him with a cane and traveling with a girl who looked rather a lot like Millie Bobby Brown.

Did something happen to Susan, he wondered?

Whatever. He could cross that bridge when he got to it. For now, there was something else they had to focus on.

"Now," Shepard took lead of the conversation, "We originally targeted Lawson because we hoped he could give us some insight into the location of Cerberus's base, but it seems the focus of the mission has shifted. If Scaroth's plans are the same as they were when the Doctor faced him, then we need to stop him, ASAP. Otherwise, there won't _be_ a human race to save."

"Great, I'm all for it, except there's one snag. A fairly major one, I should point out." Garrus spoke up. "We have no idea where the man is."

"No." Shepard agreed. "But it should be easier to find him than the Illusive Man." Shepard tapped a feed, and various data files were projected. "According to data so kindly provided to us by the Shadow Broker, and confirmed by EDI, about two months before the Reaper Invasion, Henry Lawson's personal yacht departed from Illium on a course to Horizon. According to the passenger records, Lawson himself was traveling aboard, and his name has not shown up on any passenger manifests of any kind since then."

"So it's possible that Lawson is still on Horizon, just not drawing much attention to himself." River pointed out.

Shepard nodded, and tapped a control on the console. "Joker, set course for Horizon."

 _"Roger that, Commander."_ The pilot's voice instantly came back. _"ETA: three hours."_

"Everyone else, get geared up." Shepard dismissed them, and they all went to go prepare themselves for the mission.

* * *

Far above the planet Horizon, the _Normandy_ dropped out of FTL with a flash of light. The ship sat still for a few moments, before the shuttle bay doors opened, and a blue police box floated out, slowly drifting towards the planet.

The Doctor, along with the rest of the team, was situated in the control room, the time lord himself was tapping away at a keypad on the console. He pulled one of the monitors over to him, and continued. "I've set the scanner to scan for life form readings across the surface of the entire planet. If there's a jagaroth down there, or any other species not present in the Galactic Codex, it'll find them."

"What if he's underground, or anywhere out of sensor range?" Garrus questioned.

"Trust me, if there's one thing that I'm good at, it's poking my nose in places that nobody else can get to. Trust me, we'll find him." The Doctor replies, still tapping away as the scan began. Circular Gallifreyan script flashed across the screen as the scan progressed. Finally, after about five minutes of waiting, a small section of Horizon's surface was highlighted. "Bingo!" The Doctor shouted in satisfaction. The monitor zoomed in on the highlighted section, showing an overhead view of a large facility of some sort. The Doctor turned the monitor to face the team, allowing them to get a look.

"What is that?" River questioned. "Some sort of spaceport?"

"I don't believe so." Liara stated, peering closer. "While there are landing pads for shuttles it seems, there are no docking bays or cradles for anything larger."

"So, what could it be?" Shepard inquired.

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted. But a grin broke out on his face, and he dashed over to the flight controls. "Let's find out!" He said, throwing the dematerialization lever.

The TARDIS wirred and thrummed as the time rotor rose and fell. After a moment, the noise stopped, and the time rotor settled with a satisfying thud. The Doctor move back over to the monitor, and flicked a switch directly underneath the screen. The monitor changed to show an exterior, front-facing camera feed of the TARDIS.

Large groups of people, asari, humans, turians, batarians, hanar, lifeforms belonging to almost every species in the galaxy moved forward in large schools, like fish. All of them walked towards a single destination.

Touching the screen, the Doctor swiped the camera view to show wherever it was all these people were going. The people walked through a large arched doorway, into a massive lobby filled with even more people. At the top of the arch was a hologram, a massive sign that only read 'SANCTUARY.'

"Sanctuary?" Shepard peered closer. "It's that the refugee camp in all those ads on the Citadel."

"Why would a guy like that be in a refugee camp?" James asked. "I mean, the Reapers are steamrolling everything, but the guy's rich. He could just stay in a hotel."

The Doctor turned to look at James in surprise, before that look quickly turned to approval. "Excellent thinking James, well done. He's not here as a refugee at all. In fact, two months ago, this place didn't even exist. So, you know what we're going to have to do?" At the team's inquiring looks, the Doctor smiled again. "Go poking our noses where they don't belong. Come along, team!"

The team filed out of the TARDIS, and the Doctor closed and locked the doors behind them.

"Oh, before I forget," The Doctor held out his hand, and opened it. In his palm, was a collection of TARDIS keys, each one having an odd assortment of electronic bits and bobs attached. "Perception Filters. Made a batch of them a while back in case... Well, that's not important. Everybody take one." He ordered, and the team did so. He took one, and put the rest back in his pocket. He pulled the string taut, and put the device around his neck like a necklace. "These ones won't stop people from noticing us, but they should stop them from noticing any _details_ about us. If he's in there, he won't know Commander Shepard and her team's gunning for him til' it's too late." He explained. "Now, let's go."

The team proceeded forth into Sanctuary, blending seamlessly with the endless crowd of refugees that marched forward into the glass and metal maw of the facility.


	41. Sanctuary of Death

The team followed the massive swarms of people into Sanctuary, crossing the glass threshold of the entrance. Inside, what awaited them was a cavernous and lavish entry hall. The ceiling was a curved glass dome, which offered a clear view of the tower that overlooked this place. The crowds of people filed off into neat lines that led towards the processing areas. Receptionists were busy processing the hundreds, possibly even thousands that entered the facility each day. Despite the fact that the place was packed with enough people to fill the Normandy five times over, the place was clean and pristine.

"Look at all these people." Liara observed.

"Puts into perspective how much destruction the Reapers are causing, doesn't it?" Shepard asked in response. "So, we're inside, now what's the plan?"

EDI in her mobile platform was the first to respond. "It is likely that any attempt to use force would only startle the refugees."

"Good point, we don't want to cause a mass panic." Shepard agreed. "For now, we go where everyone else is going."

The team filed into line with the other refugees, and slowly made their way forward.

"Doctor." River got close enough to whisper. to the Time Lord. "Look at the staff." She pointed out the countless people working at their desks.

"All of them are human." The Time Lord observed. "Place as big as this, and all the staff are human?"

"You know what that means." River concluded.

"It doesn't mean the facility is Cerberus-run." The Doctor began. "But it does put a big point in that column. But I think both of us are missing another big detail. This facility's big, but if this is the kind of turnout they get on the daily, it's nowhere near large enough to house all these people."

"So where does everyone go?" River asked.

"They could be hot-bunking." Vega leaned into the conversation. "Have to do it sometimes when ships are nearing crew capacity."

The Doctor looked at Vega in surprise. "You're full of surprises today, aren't you?"

Vega shrugged. "I used to be a squad leader. You don't get that position by being unobservant."

"Well, in any case, you're suggestion's smart, but wrong." River rebutted. "What the Doctor meant is that the infrastructure just doesn't exist."

The Doctor nodded, as the line kept marching forward. "Unless most of it's underground. But that doesn't make sense either. I'm no expert in money, but usually it's much more expensive to build something underground than it is just putting it up top, it's not worth going to that trouble."

"Unless you're trying to hide something." Vega pointed out.

River nodded. "Which in a refugee camp, is very suspicious."

The team moved closer to processing, and the Doctor continued surveying the area, before something caught his eye.

The Doctor poked River on the arm. "'Staff Only.'" The Time Lord read, before turning to River with a grin. "Shall we?"

"Yes we shall." She replied.

"Shepard." The Doctor addressed. "River and I are gonna make a break for that Staff Door, but we need you to distract him." He pointed to a rent-a-cop standing watch over the line.

"Got it." Shepard nodded. "Make it fast." She jogged up to the guard, and set about talking to him.

The Doctor turned away. "Come on!" He ordered, vaulting over the glass divider. He turned around, motioned for James to follow, and made a break for the door. The Doctor pulled the Sonic Screwdriver out of his coat pocket, waved it over the door activator, and the door slipped open. He ushered River and Vega inside, entered behind them, and the door slid shut. The three were now in a small stairwell, the stairs extending down into the depths of the facility.

"It's just a stairwell." James pointed out.

"No, a stairwell would be labeled stairwell." The Doctor retorted. Beginning to walk down the steps, the other two following. "This is something they don't want anyone finding."

"Okay, we're in, what now?" River asked.

"No clue, I'll think of something." The Doctor replied.

"So you have no damn idea what you're doing?" Vega questioned.

"Nope. More of a general outline." The Doctor confessed. "Right now, the plan is getting to the top of that tower, finding Scaroth, figuring out what he's doing here what this place is really for and why, and shutting it all down if I don't like it."

"So why did we go through the Staff Door to do it?" River inquired.

"Like I said, they're hiding something." The Doctor replied. "And call me paranoid, but something tells me all those people out there _aren't_ going to be getting free food and shelter."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"Back when John Lumic was developing the cyber-conversion process, he'd lure in homeless people as test subjects by promising them free meals." The Doctor recalled.

"You think it's a trap." River concluded. "Luring people in to be, what, experimented on?"

"And you just left Shepard and the others up there?" Vega questioned.

"They can take care of themselves. Besides, we're the ones rooting around in the restricted areas. Everything'll be focused on us." They finally reached the bottom of the stairs, and another door.

The three stepped through, out onto a corridor that extended into both directions. They debated for a moment, before heading left from the door. The three proceeded down the empty, barren corridor, until they reached another door. They stepped through, into an observation room of some sort.

"Look down there." River pointed.

The groups of refugees that came from above were being broken apart and put into different lines based on their species, and forced to march forward by troops in white and orange armor.

"Cerberus." The Doctor recognized.

"What are you doing up here!?" A voice from behind them demanded.

The three instantly whipped around, to find themselves face-to-face with a Cerberus scientist.

"Ah, hello," The Doctor tentatively greeted, "I'm Doctor... Ian Wright, these are my associates Barbara Chesterfield," He pointed to River, "And Jamie Heriot." He pointed to Vega. He reached into his coat, produced the psychic paper, and handed it over to the Cerberus scientist.

"Inspectors?" The Cerberus employee asked, looking over the psychic paper. "The Illusive Man does like surprise visits." He handed the psychic paper back to the Doctor. "Oh, pardon me, I'm Professor Hayden."

"Good for you." The Doctor patted the man on his shoulders. "Now, Hayden, tell me, what is it that we're researching here."

The professor fixed the Time Lord with an inquisitive gaze. "You weren't briefed?"

"We were told we couldn't be." River lied quickly. "In case we were apprehended by the Alliance."

"Ah." The professor nodded in understanding. "I see. Sanctuary is dedicated to fully understanding, and potentially counteracting, Reaper indoctrination."

The look on the Doctor's face turned dark. "What?"

"This way." Hayden ushered, leading them down the corridor, into a set of labs. In this one room alone, discarded Reaper weapons, dissected bits of husks, and more Reaper tech than they had ever seen was being studied by dozens of scientists in lab coats. "Our team is working tirelessly to reverse engineer the technology responsible for indoctrination. We hope to achieve enough of an understanding of the technology to turn it against the Reapers themselves."

"And the people from above?" The Doctor questioned. "Where do they fit in?" He demanded, though he already had his suspicions.

"Yes, well, those who are unfit for conscription are administered full doses of the Reaper nanotechnology." Hayden disinterestedly responded.

Vega began to see red. "So anyone you can't make into slave soldiers gets huskified?"

"That's not the scientific term, but yes." The Cerberus scientist missed Vega's point. "Our research demands live tests. We can't very well go out onto the front lines and abduct enemy units."

Vega looked like he was about to lash out, but the Doctor calmed the marine well before that could happen.

"Where's the person in charge of this place?" The Doctor asked, fighting to hold back his own bubbling anger. "Before we leave, we need to speak with him directly."

Hayden looked confused. "But, you only just arrived, don't you need to see more?"

"Lawson." The Doctor stressed. " _Now."_

Hayden took a stepped back, as the Doctor got closer. The man was so put off, he neglected to ask just exactly _how_ the Time Lord knew Lawson was in charge. "H-he's in the central lab at the base of the tower. Follow the main concourse, it'll take you straight there."

"Good man." And without any further discussion, the Doctor led Vega and River out of the lab. Following the signage in the corridors, the three proceeded to the main concourse. Just before they got into the concourse proper, the Doctor pulled River and Vega into an empty side room, and sealed the door shut.

"What are we doing?" Vega asked.

"Calling Shepard." The Doctor answered, pulling up an omni-tool. "We need to get the people in the lobby out of here as fast as possible."

'What for?" River questioned.

"Aside from the fact this is a Cerberus death camp?" The Doctor rhetorically responded. "I don't think I'm going to be able to resist the temptation to blow this place up after we find Lawson. Why isn't this working?" He hit the omni-tool against the side of the wall.

"Cerberus probably has a jammer set up somewhere." River hypothesized.

The Doctor let out a snort and shook his head, "Humans, so paranoid." He fished the sonic screwdriver from his pocket, messed around with the innards of the omni-tool, before stashing the screwdriver back inside his pocket. "There, that should do it."

"What did you do?" Vega inquired.

"I patched my radio into the TARDIS's communication circuits." The Doctor gave the plain answer. "I'll do yours' once we're out of this mess." He opened the line, and after a second, Shepard responded.

_"Doctor? Is that you?"_

"Yes, listen, in a bit of a hurry here 'cause it's possible we'll be found out at any moment." The Doctor began, talking at a hundred words a second. "You need to get every one of those people in that lobby out right now. I don't know if the processing staff knows what's going on, but it any case, get them out too; the Alliance is going to need someone to question."

_"What? Why?"_

"Because this place is a Cerberus outpost, and after we deal with Lawson, I'm going to blow it sky-high." The Time Lord bluntly replied.

_"Oh, shit. Do you need backup, we can-"_

"No. Like I said, get everyone out, as far away from the facility as possible, as fast as you can." The Doctor ordered.

_"What about you?"_

"I can summon the TARDIS to us with the key, we'll be fine." He replied.

_"Sure. And while you're at it, how about you tell me how I'm supposed to get these people out?"_

"You're clever, I have faith in you." The Doctor finished, before cutting the line. He looked at River and Vega. "We need to hurry. Once Shepard starts the evacuation up above, Cerberus is going to know something's wrong." And the Doctor pulled them back out into the concourse.

The three darted and weaved in and out of sight, taking care not to be spotted by the Cerberus troops. They turned the corner, and continued down the concourse, even as an announcer rang out from overhead.

_"We've got somebody riling up the crowds in Processing. Crowd control, get up there and deal with it!"_ The voice ordered. It was smooth, slightly aged, with a slight Austrailian accent. Though the accent threw him off, the Doctor recognized the speaker almost immediately.

"That was him, wasn't it? River asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Come on." He said, and the three charged down the corridors again, running across bridges, up and down steps, towards the central lab. Along the way, a few Cerberus troopers had spotted them, and began to fire. River quickly returned fire, while Vega threw a grenade into the grouping of troopers, allowing them to get away.

Eventually, the three made it to the central lab. The Doctor soniced the door open, and they quickly got inside, the door sliding closed behind them.

"Here we are." The Doctor stated. "The central lab."

Lawson's lab was a cavernous space, like the vehicle assembly building from a space program long-defunct. In the middle of the lab, sat and odd metal structure. It was black, blacker than the inside of a black hole, and sat on four spindly legs. The central body was made of two short cones, jutting out from the top and bottom of an otherwise uniform metal sphere.

"Doctor, what is that?" River questioned, beginning to grasp herself tightly as if she were cold. "It feels... wrong."

"That," The Doctor pointed at the construct. "if I had to guess, is the end result of Scaroth's experiments with time travel. It's emitting vast quantities of Artron energy." He explained, walking down the steps to the side of the little chamber they were in. River and Vega followed, proceeding deeper to the bottom.

"Artron energy?" Vega asked. "The hell is that?"

"Think of it as a sort of background radiation." The Doctor explained. "Except it's only native to the Time Vortex. The only way it can exist out in normal space is if a time traveler brings it with them, or the Time Vortex is breached."

"I say, you know quite a bit about temporal mechanics." Lawson's voice rang out from directly above them. The three looked up, to see the man looking straight down at them. He began walking down another set of stairs towards them, while River and James drew their weapons. "As much as myself, actually. Which is odd, given that _I_ am the only one conducting significant research into the technology. Tell me, who are you, Mister...?"

"Doctor." The Time Lord shortly replied.

"Ah. Always good to meet a fellow man of science. Especially one who knows so much about the mechanics of time... Time Lord."

"Oh, so you want to play the naming game?" The Doctor spat back. "I'm very good at that game, Scaroth."

Scaroth only smiled. "Then it seems I won't be needing this ridiculous thing any longer." He reach into the collar of his shirt, and grabbed onto something. Before River and James could react, the man began to pull off his face as blue light began to shine out of the seams in his skin. Scaroth finished pulling his mask off, revealing his true form underneath. A green egg-shaped head, much larger than a human's, protruded from his body. A single grey eye sat in the center of his face, and tentacle-like feelers grew out of his skin.

"Holy shit!" Vega breathed.

"Compression field." The Doctor explained. "It's one way to slim down."

"Ah... how refreshing it is to feel the open air." Scaroth breathed. "It really is quite fortunate you came here now, of all times." Scaroth approached closer, and River and James leveled their guns at him. Scaroth wasn't even remotely fazed. "Oh, do put those toys of yours down. This room exists in a state of temporal grace, your weapons will not work."

"Oh, really?" River cocked her head with false sweetness. "Will it still hurt if I hit you with it?"

"Perhaps. But nowhere near as much as it will hurt her." He pointed over to a glass pane on one wall. A light on the other side turned on, revealing it to be a small cell with a bed and a few basic amenities. The girl inside the cell looked only a bit older than Susan, and the three could see the fear in her eyes.

"Oriana?" The Doctor recognized from the brief look he'd gotten at her.

"You know who I am?" She looked confused.

"I helped Miranda on Illium." The Doctor explained for her. "We tore our way through three levels of cargo bays to get to you before the Eclipse."

"Any attempts to injure me," Scaroth forced his way back into the conversation, "Will subject Oriana to painful electrical shocks. Not enough to kill... But enough to cause lasting damage."

The Doctor stared Scaroth dead in the eye. He didn't look outwardly angry, but they could feel it coming off him in waves. "You're threatening an innocent life, that's not a position you want to be in while dealing with me, _especially after I saw what's going on out there_. Why even take Oriana anyway? She was living a peaceful life, with her _family."_

"Ah, but that's what it always comes back to, isn't it Doctor? Family." Scaroth stressed. Scaroth walked under the machine in the center of the room. "The Jagaroth were a mighty race, but even we could not stand against the might of the Time Lords. Your people hunted us, Doctor, across the black gulfs of space, and they destroyed us wherever we were found. Then my ship found Earth, a planet so remote, that not even the Time Lords bothered with it. I thought at last I had found my people's salvation, but Earth was too primitive for us to live on, so I gave the order to take off. My family, every last one of my people left in the universe, all of them were depending on me Doctor. And when that ship and I burned, so did the last hope for my people. This," He pointed up, "Will enable me to fix that, to save them."

"So, you would condemn an entire species to non-existence. _"_ The Doctor spat. "And kidnapped an innocent girl, _and_ fed hundreds, maybe even thousands of helpless people into the jaws of Cerberus."

"I had hoped Oriana's sudden disappearance and the oddities surrounding this place would lure Miranda here." Scaroth explained. "But instead, you arrived. Far sooner than I had expected anyone to discover the true purpose of this facility."

"Yes, well, that's just me, isn't it?" The Doctor sarcastically grinned. "Good old, unexpected me. But let me ask you one thing, because there's something I still don't understand." He started pacing around the floor. "Making a dynasty isn't really your style. Even when you forged all those duplicates of the Mona Lisa, it was just to make more money to fund your experiments, you couldn't have cared less about a lasting impact on the human race."

"Well then, you've already highlighted the reasons yourself." Scaroth pointed out.

"She was a commissioned project, wasn't she?" The Doctor questioned, his voice low.

"You're very astute, Doctor." Scaroth complimented. "Yes, the Illusive Man was fed up with disloyal agents and tools, so he contracted me to make him an operative that would be totally loyal to him, and in exchange, he would fund all of the experiments I needed. All I needed to do was push too hard, and when she finally came of age, she ran directly into the arms of Cerberus, as was the plan."

"And Oriana?" The Doctor demanded.

"Something to keep Miranda loyal to Cerberus in case she started getting second thoughts." Scaroth explained. "But then, that 'suicide mission' happened,' and she went rogue. Oriana's only purpose now, is to lure her 'sister' into the belly of the beast. Of course, it will all be rendered moot once my plan succeeds."

"Except it won't succeed." The Doctor stated as fact.

"Oh?" Scaroth questioned. "And why is that?"

"Because we'll stop you." The Time Lord finished.

Sensing the veiled threat, Scaroth quickly reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a stun gun of some sort, and zapped the three at once, and he ran off, up the stairs towards the time pod.

The Doctor forced himself to get to his feet through the pain, and dashed off after Scaroth. "River, James, get Oriana out of there!" He ordered, as he spotted the others getting up as well.

The Doctor charged up the metal steps, but Scaroth was much faster than the Time Lord. Scaroth reached the top of the staircase, he tapped a few controls, and the orb in the center of the time pod opened up, and a walkway extended out to it.

Scaroth ran across the walkway, and as soon as he stepped into the time pod, it retracted. The Doctor finally managed to make it to the top, but he could only look across as the machine activated.

The Doctor tapped a few of the controls, and frowned as the system beeped a negative response. "Biolocked, of course!" The Doctor looked at the readouts. "Scaroth!" He yelled over the wirring of the machine. "You have to stop this now!"

"And surrender?" Scaroth shouted back. "I will do no such thing!"

"Your machine isn't fully complete, when it activates, it'll smear you across five dimensions!" The Doctor retorted. "Stop this! We can figure something out without endangering humanity! Just turn the machine off, and give the people inside the facility over to the Alliance! The Time Lords can help you, I swear!" River, James, and Oriana finally made it up to the platform, and stood next to the Doctor.

"The Time Lords!?" Scaroth angrily returned, as a red orb of light surrounded him. "They are responsible for my people's death!" Scaroth stared across at the Doctor. "Will it kill me?"

The Doctor placed his hands in his pockets, and nodded with a grim stare leveled at Scaroth.

Scaroth smiled, but it held no warmth. "Good." The red orb solidified, and a deafening thunderclap rumbled throughout the chamber. Bolts of lightning ran up and down the structure of the time pod, and everyone in the room could hear Scaroth's scream as the orb became a blinding white.

The time pod began to heat up, and the deafening roar of the Time Vortex could be heard as the orb exploded outward in a blaze of heat and light, filling the room and consuming it.


	42. Interlude: The TARDIS

Far away from Sanctuary, Commander Shepard and her team were leading the refugees that hadn't been able to fit on the shuttles as far away from the facility as they could, into the nearest settlement, when a loud bang, the echo of an explosion, made it's way to them.

"What the hell was that?" Garrus inquired.

"I'd assume that's Sanctuary." Shepard responded. "Or rather, it's the crater where Sanctuary used to be."

"Do you believe the Doctor made it out in time?" Liara asked.

"No doubt about it." Shepard nodded.

Indeed, as soon as she finished, the TARDIS began materializing a short distance away. Solidifying with a thump, the doors to the TARDIS swung open, and the Doctor, River, James, and a woman that Shepard didn't recognize stepped out of the ship.

"Whew." The Doctor breathed. "Haven't had a close call like that since Mars. If there's one thing I'm glad that experience taught me, it was to put the remote summon on the keys. Shepard!" The Doctor walked up. "Get everyone out?"

"As many as we could." Shepard responded. "I... I don't know if there was anything we could've done for the ones below."

"It's alright." The Doctor gently put his hand on her shoulder. "Even if we could've gotten them out... I don't know if they would be the same. The labs below were experimenting with indoctrination."

"Oh my lord." Shepard breathed in horror. She could only imagine the horrors that had taken place in the facility. "Please tell me you at least got the location of the Illusive Man's base."

The Doctor looked down, and that was all the confirmation Shepard needed.

Shepard looked over at the stranger that had arrived with the Doctor. "Who's she?"

"Ah, Shepard meet Oriana Lawson." The Doctor gestured at the woman, who was circling around and in and out of the TARDIS. "Scaroth was keeping her prisoner there. He was going to use her to lure Miranda into a trap."

"At least you got her out of there safely. I know Miranda's going to be very happy about that." Shepard said.

"Yeah..." The Doctor nodded, though he didn't quite seem all there. His eyes suddenly widened. "Miranda... Miranda!" He said, breaking out into a grin. "You lot, civilization's that way!" He yelled to the group of refugees, as he pointed off into a direction. "Shepard's crew, back into the TARDIS!" He ordered, charging back into the ship.

"Doctor, wait!" Shepard said. "What's all this about?"

"This is all about Miranda!" The Doctor explained, darting around the console as the last one to enter the TARDIS shut the door. "No one on this ship has been to the Illusive Man's base, save for Miranda!" He continued, typing something into the keypad. "If we link her with the TARDIS's telepathic circuits, she can guide the TARDIS there using her mind itself!"

"Even she doesn't know where it is!" Shepard pointed out. "She said there were always measures taken to make sure the personnel inside wouldn't find out it's location!"

"Doesn't matter!" The Doctor retorted, cranking the cranks on one side of the console. "All that matters is that, at _some_ point in her personal history, she had set foot in that base! All we have to do is plug Miranda in, and the TARDIS can extrapolate the location by measuring her timeline!"

"But we don't even know where she is, or how to get to her." Shepard stressed.

"No. But we do have somebody that can help." The Doctor finished, turning to Oriana.

"What, me?" The young woman stepped back.

The Doctor nodded. "You're her sister, Oriana. Your personal timeline is more intertwined with hers than any one of ours." He ushered her over to the strange slits in one panel of the console. "Stick your hands in there."

Oriana looked at the panel with disgust, and back at the Doctor. "Really?"

"Yes!" The Doctor confirmed, getting impatient. "It won't hurt, go on."

Oriana began to sick her hands into the slits, and as they rubbed against the strange fleshy gel, squirmed and gagged silently.

"Now, think about your sister, Oriana." The Doctor commanded. "Any memories you've got of her, good or bad, happy or sad, whatever you can remember, think of it, and think one question. 'Where is Miranda Lawson now? Where is she _now?_ '"

Oriana nodded, and closed her eyes. After about thirty seconds of silent thinking, a lever on the TARDIS console flicked by itself, and the ship dematerialized.

"Well, the TARDIS thinks she can find her." The Doctor looked up at the spinning mechanisms above the console.

As the TARDIS flew, the 'wheezes' the ship made as the time rotor rose and fell were longer and further apart, with a metallic echo to them. The spinning mechanisms above the console ticked as they spun, and the lights on the walls pulsed in sync with the engines. The TARDIS's engines ground to a halt, and the ship settled. Oriana removed her hands from the telepathic circuits, and the Doctor ran around the console.

"So, where did we land?" Garrus asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor answered honestly. "Let's take a peek." He said, walking over to the doors, he opened them, and the others held their breath in anticipation of the answer. They were surprised when he let out a disappointed groan, and turned back to them. "You lot don't get your hopes up, it's just the Citadel. Doesn't even look like one of the exciting parts, either."

They all stepped out, and took in their surroundings. "I recognize this place." Liara spoke up. "It's one of the refugee holding areas on the Presidium."

"Refugee holding?" Garrus repeated. "Looks more like a cargo bay."

"I assume it was." The Doctor stepped in. "Then the sudden influx of people happened, and they converted it into this." The Doctor looked around. "Does anybody see Miranda?"

"I don't." Shepard shook her head.

"Nope." Garrus responded.

"I do not, sorry." Liara denied.

"Nada." James spoke up.

"Nothing I can see." River said.

"Could the TARDIS have gotten it wrong?" Shepard asked.

"No." The Doctor stated. "She's here. Miranda!" The Doctor cupped his hands around his mouth. "We have your sister!"

"What are you doing!?" Shepard demanded in a low voice.

"Relax." The Doctor said. "It's only to get her attention. We're-" The Doctor was suddenly cut off as his back hit the TARDIS, and he slid to the ground. A boot planted itself on his throat, and he was pinned to the ground. The Doctor looked up, seeing the culprit.

"Miranda!" Shepard shouted. "What the hell!? Where did you come from!?"

"Around." Miranda replied. She looked to Oriana and smiled. "Oriana. When your family reported you missing, I got worried."

Oriana smiled back. "I'm fine. The Doctor rescued me."

"Really?" Miranda asked, looking down at the Time Lord.

"Yes!" The Doctor choked out. "Now will you please get your foot away from my neck!?"

Miranda relented, and the Doctor took in a deep gulp of air. "What is it with human females and causing me physical pain?" The Doctor grumbled, getting to his feet. He cracked his back, and sighed. "I haven't had anybody to that to me since Leela."

Shepard tilted her head. "Leela?"

"A warrior from the Sevateem." The Doctor explained. "But never mind that. Miranda, we need your help"

The ex-Cerberus operative frowned. "With what, may I ask?"

"Not out here." The Doctor told her. "Who knows who could be listening in?" He ushered everyone back into the TARDIS. The doors shut behind them, and the Doctor turned to Miranda. "Okay! So, we need your help to find the Illusive Man's base." He said, fiddling with the controls some more.

Miranda looked taken aback. "The Illusive Man's base? One of the most heavily fortified strategic positions in the galaxy? A place that's location is so secret, that even I don't know where it is?"

"Yes, yes, we get the idea, nobody knows where the base is." The Doctor rolled his eyes, and pulled Miranda over to the telepatic circuits. "Stick your hands in there, quick as you like." Miranda did so, and the Doctor turned to the others. "I've set the TARDIS to download the co-ordinates, instead of taking us there." He explained, as the controls beeped and chirped.

"Why do that?" Shepard inquired. "Why not just head there directly."

"Because I don't think it's a good idea to just charge into a Cerberus base with who knows how many troops inside." The Doctor explained. "We might be good, but the moment we set foot in that base, it's going to be total war."

"So, what is your plan?" Shepard questioned.

The console beeped one last time, and the navigation system pulled up the co-ordinates on the map. The Doctor pulled Miranda's hands out, and he overlooked the information, as the woman joined her sister's side.

"Well, the way I see it, if the Illusive Man wants Time Lords, we'll give him just that." The Doctor answered, filing away the co-ordinates.

"You mean...?" Shepard looked surprised.

The Doctor nodded. "It's time we head back to Gallifrey."


	43. The Long Way Around

The TARDIS tumbled through the Time Vortex, its engines whirring as it traveled along. Miranda and Oriana had chosen not to come along, and after a short stop to pick up Susan on the Normandy, the Doctor set the TARDIS back into motion, on course for Gallifrey.

While the TARDIS flew, the Doctor had popped out to the wardrobe, and about ten minutes later, strode back in, carrying a stack of folded red cloth, and odd gold headdresses.

"Shepard, River, Susan, put these on." The Doctor commanded, handing each one of them a set of robes and the . "Don't worry about getting undressed, they're bigger on the inside." He said, slipping the robe over his usual attire.

"And air conditioned." Susan commented.

Garrus looked over at them with a bemused expression. "You have air conditioning in your _clothing?"_

Susan nodded, and slipped the gold headpiece on. "One of the perks of being the most technologically advanced species in the universe."

"What do we need these for, anyway?" Shepard questioned.

"We're about to make a formal appeal to the Time Lord High Council." The Doctor explained, fluffing out his robes. "If they're even _remotely_ like the High Council I knew, they'd refuse us an audience and laugh us out of the Capitol just for being dressed improperly." The Doctor slipped his headgear on, and sighed. "It's been so long since I've worn this." He quickly smiled, and forced away any melancholy feelings he may have been experiencing. "Now, next stop, Gallifrey!" He pulled back the throttle on the console, and the TARDIS began to land.

* * *

Deep within the winding, eldritch halls of the Capitol of Gallifrey, beneath the ancient chambers of the High Council, sandwiched in the level separating the Cloisters from the rest of the Capitol, stood Stellar Control.

It was an unimportant part of the Capitol, a duty that no Time Lord, even the laziest, most unmotivated slackers, ever wished to be forced to undertake.

Because even for a race of the most stuffiest, pompous, windbags, _it was just that boring._

And in the fifteen by fifteen foot wide room, was a single terminal, and the Time Lord assigned to it; Andredaselus, or simply Andred for short.

The demoted Time Lord, who once was one of the most dedicated, hardest-working gallifreyans to come out of House Deeptree (Or the House of Redlooms. The place changed its name so much now it was hard to keep track), was sitting in his chair, fiddling with something called 'Rubik's Cube,' a child's toy from the planet Earth that he and several others had become enamored with.

Andred solved the cube, and prepared to scramble it again, when his display flashed with an alert. Andred quickly dropped the cube, and hunched himself over the terminal, frowning.

A TARDIS was materializing in the Panopticon. Andred frowned, and looked over the schedule. A redundant action, given that no TARDISes ever left Gallifrey, since...

Andred remembered that day well. Braxiatel had practically knocked down his door, holding little Theta Sigma in his arms. Braxiatel had said that Glospin had murdered Quences, sabotaged the Loom, and then tried to pin the crime on Braxiatel. The engagement had been the final straw for Braxiatel, and so he made it his mission to get away from Gallifrey as fast as possible. The only thing he needed was a TARDIS. Andred, of course, didn't have a TARDIS, he didn't need one. Braxiatel explained though, he didn't want to borrow a TARDIS from Andred, he needed his help to steal one.

Andred was immediately shocked. Theft and unauthorized use of a TARDIS was the very few crimes on Gallifrey punishable by execution and exile. But Braxiatel, the most unflappable man Andred had ever met, looked downright terrified at the prospect of remaining on Gallifrey, and so Andred agreed to help.

The TARDIS they chose to thieve was Marnal's ancient Type 40, so old that not even the recall circuits worked anymore, and so damaged that it had been in the repair ward for the past fifty years.

The night Andred was assigned to patrol that sector, he looked the other way as Braxiatel snuck into the TARDIS, and took off.

The Council had noticed the missing TARDIS of course, but they had nothing to pin on Andred, save for his failure to prevent the theft, and so they sent him down here as punishment.

And now, after all this time, they were back. Perhaps whatever primitive society Braxiatel chose to assimilate into finally wore him down.

He shut off the alerts, and leaned back. Still, he didn't alert the guard.

Andred had already earned his keep as far as he was concerned.

* * *

In the very heart of the Citadel of Gallifrey, was the Panopticon, the throne of the Time Lords. It was in there, they say, where the Time Lords sat on the precipice of eternity, looking down on the infinite galaxies below, sworn never to interfere. Only to watch.

In the Panopticon foyer, the Doctor's TARDIS began to materialize and solidify.

Two Daleks, the only personnel in the room, turned to face the TARDIS as its doors opened. The Doctor, Susan, River, and Shepard stepped out to be confronted with the Daleks.

"HALT!" The Dalek on the right ordered. "YOU ARE UNAUTHORIZED. STATE YOUR BUSINESS IMMEDIATELY."

"I'm here to make a formal request to the High Council." The Doctor curtly replied.

"FOR WHAT PURPOSE?" The Dalek interrogated.

"Military aid."

The Daleks turned to look at each other, and seemed to be having a silent conversation among themselves. Their eyestalks nodded after only a second, and they turned back to face the group.

"You will be permitted an audience with the Ruling Council." The Dalek's voice had lost its edge. "Note that any attempts to harm the Council will be met with swift, and possibly leathal force." The Daleks slid to allow access, and the Doctor respectfully bowed, as he led the others into the chamber.

As they entered, the group could hear the discussions taking place between the Time Lord High Council, and the Dalek Council.

On the Time Lord side were five people sat at a table, facing the Daleks. A man wearing white robes, two other men wearing black and red, respectively, and two women wearing orange and green.

Across the table, on the Dalek side, were five unique Daleks, of a different model than the Daleks they had seen on Gallifrey so far. These ones were taller, bulkier, and much more rounded and sleek. Each Dalek had a unique, dark metallic paintjob. One was platinum, one blue, one crimson, one was a dark indigo, and the last was gold.

Once the four crossed the threshold, all of the heads, and eyestalks, turned to face the four.

The man in white (middle-aged, balding, with a slight grey beard) instantly shot up.

"What!? Who are you!?" The man demanded. "How did you get in here!?"

"I am the Doctor." The Doctor stepped forward. "On behalf of the Citadel Council, and the races associated with it, we have come to ask for your assistance?"

The man looked suspicious, and burst out laughing. "On behalf of _who?_ And to ask us for assistance!"

"President Borusa." The platinum Dalek addressed with a deep, booming voice reserved for those with the highest authority. "I wish to hear his proposal.

One of the Time Ladies looked at Borusa with a reprimanding look. "I would like to hear him as well."

Borusa's mocking laughter died out, and his face became stony. "Very well. I will permit you five minutes. Speak." He commanded.

The Doctor stepped forward. "Noble Council of Time Lords." He addressed, using the proper title. "The galaxy is under threat."

This piqued the others' curiosity, though Borusa remained emotionless.

"A race of machines, known to the inhabitants of Mutter's Spiral as Reapers have landed on over a hundred worlds. They don't want territory, or resources, or even slaves. All they want, is the total eradication of every sapient being in the galaxy." The Doctor explained.

"The Reapers have returned!?" The red Dalek in the room yelled with a shrill voice.

The Doctor fought back the urge to smile as he realized he was at making headway. "Yes, that's right. You know of them?"

"Millennia ago, the Reapers attacked Skaro without provocation." The platinum Dalek explained. "All Dalek kind was threatened with extinction, and very nearly destroyed. Then, the Time Lords intervened."

"You mean... they saved you." The Doctor didn't know what to make of it. He was used to the Time Lords and Daleks being sworn enemies, the two species with the most violent hatred of each other in the universe. And here they were, working together, _living_ together.

The platinum Dalek nodded its eyestalk. "The Time Lords delivered us salvation, but Skaro was too damaged to be inhabitable, even to Dalek life. The Time Lords took us with them when they left."

"And now you live with them as equals." The Doctor smiled, despite the ingrained hatred of the Daleks he had acquired over the years.

Borusa, from his stand, spoke up. "But we broke the non-interference clause in doing so. Do not mistake my words, the Daleks are now our greatest allies, but Morbius was taking an unprecedented and unacceptable risk. Never again. I am sorry, Doctor, but we cannot help you."

"What!?" The Doctor demanded. "Millions of people across the galaxy are dying! Being harvested, their corpses becoming machines of war and death, _and all you can say is sorry!?"_

"President Borusa does not speak for the Daleks." The platinum Dalek informed.

Borusa narrowed his eyes. "Do well to remember your place, Dalek."

"The Daleks have faced the Reapers on our own, we will not see another race lost to their onslaught!" The platinum one proclaimed. "The Reapers will be exterminated!"

"You barely survived the last attack by the Reapers, what makes you think you can survive now?" Borusa demanded.

"We have advanced since then." The lead Dalek stated. "Time Lord technology has enhanced Dalek kind more than we had once thought possible."

"And, um, if I may." The Doctor placed himself back into focus. "I did find a Time Lord superweapon. No clue what it does, but it seems designed to release enormous bursts of energy."

"Let us see." The Time Lord in the red robes leaned forward.

"Castellan-" Borusa attempted to interject.

"Enough." The Time Lord in the black robes cut him off. He then turned to the Doctor. "Show it to us."

The Doctor nodded, and a hologram of the Moment was projected. The five Time Lords' eyes widened, and they quickly began to discuss it amongst themselves.

"What do you make of it, Romana?" The Castellan inquired of the Time Lady in orange. Hearing the name of the Time Lady caused the Doctor to stagger, as if he were hit with a shotgun blast.

"It is one of our constructs, most definitely." Romana continued, she and the rest of the High Council not registering the Doctor's reaction. "However, I do not recognize the design. Valeyard?"

The Time Lord in black robes shook his head. "I do not. Nothing like it appears in any known historical texts." He explained. "Doctor, do you have any idea the time period that these plans are from?"

"Not exactly." The Doctor shook his head, pushing away his subconscious screams for him to scarper. "But the architecture of the research outpost I found it in suggested that it was designed _after_ the invention of TARDIS technology."

"There have been several classified projects from that time." The Inquisitor, as her green robes signified. "It is not unreasonable to assume one has been lost to the ages."

"And you believe this can defeat these... Reapers, in one fell swoop?" Romana questioned, looking the Doctor in the eye.

The Doctor nodded. "Absolutely."

Borusa's displeasure with the situation became obvious. "All of you stop this instant!" He commanded. "I am Lord President of Gallifrey, and I say _we are not getting involved!_ "

The Castellan placed his hands on the table, and stood up. "Since you have evidently forgotten, President, let me endeavour to remind you. While you are Lord President, in decisions of war, the majority vote of the Council holds final say, not just yours."

Borusa let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Yes, make a majority decision on a topic we've known for all of five minutes."

The Inquisitor frowned, and looked to the Doctor. "You say you have faced the Reapers, is that true?"

"Well, yes," The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "But if anyone knows them best, it's Shepard here." He said, patting the Commander on her back.

Shepard staggered forward, not expecting the Doctor's patting.

"Shepard..." The Valeyard looked her over. "Maxil got into a three hour long rant about you the other day, well done."

"Uhm... Thanks?" Shepard replied, curious as to why she'd be the topic of a rant.

"Observe." Romana drew attention to herself. She pressed a holographic control on the table, and a golden ring of metal began to materialize in the air in front of Shepard. "This will allow us to view your memories as if they were our own. Place it on your head."

Shepard gingerly reached out, and took the ring. Before she placed it on her head, she could only think about one thing. "Will this allow you to see... _all_ my memories?" She blushed.

The Castellan shook his head. "No. The device has been set to only show us the memories you associate with the Reapers."

Shepard nodded uncertainly, and placed the ring on her head. Her eyes snapped fully open, and the room began to spin, as she was plunged into her memories.

In the span of about thirty seconds, she relived it all. The Normandy's shakedown run, Nihlus's death, the search for Saren, losing Ashley, meeting Vigil on Ilos, fighting Sovereign, her death, her resurrection, the mission against the Collectors, what they were doing with the abducted colonists, the Alpha Relay, the attack on Earth, and seeing the galaxy go to hell... All of it, in perfect, excruciating detail, like being sent back in time to go through it all again.

Shepard shook her head as she was brought back into the present, and removed the circlet from her head.

The Time Lords at the table opened their eyes, and looked at one another.

"So, that is what you face." The Castellan began.

"Although, I am curious as to what this this... 'Silence' that the Reapers are motivated by is." Romana spoke up.

"It seems to me to be a reference to our old mythology." The Valeyard spoke up.

The Doctor frowned. "What?"

"'The Silence: an entity or sentient force that seeks to plunge the universe into total lifelessness to fulfill its goals.'" The Valeyard quoted. "It was said, that when the Silence consumed the last form of life in the universe, the universe itself would finally be plunged into death, and the cosmos would be reborn anew."

"Eh?" The Doctor questioned.

"Do not worry about any of that." The Castellan waved away. "We have come to a decision."

Borusa, despite his reservations, stood up. "We, the High Council of Gallifrey, pledge our support to the Allied Forces against the Reapers."

"The Daleks shall assist as well!" The platinum Dalek boomed.

"Our only condition, is that Time Lord forces remain under our command exclusively." Borusa stated. "They will assist you, but we will give them the orders, is that agreeable."

Shepard, for the first time in a long while, felt hope. And she smiled. "Yes, absolutely."

"Then this meeting shall adjourn." Borusa dismissed. "There are many preparations to be made." And he pressed a button on his gauntlet, sending the signal.

* * *

Across the planet, President Borusa's orders were received by every device intended to pick them up.

The Dalek hatcheries began accelerating the growth of the mutants inside, and the casing factories entered full production capacity. For every minute that passed, one-thousand Dalek casings came out of each factory, totaling nearly two-hundred and fifty-thousand casings produced every minute across the whole of Gallifrey. Standard infantry Daleks, Special Weapons Daleks, Dalek Fighters, and more all rolled off the assembly line, ready to be paired with the mutants that needed them to survive.

Deep in the bowels of the Black Hole Shipyard, the TARDIS cradles set to work growing the War TARDISes, and gargantuan automated drydocks began assembling the great Dalek Saucers that would carry their inhabitants to victory.

Massive supply depots began to dispense Staser Pistols, Staser Rifles, De-Mat Guns, and suits of armor to the Time Lord soldiers now back in active service.

And as he walked back to the TARDIS, hearing the combat drills and production lines going full-blast, the Doctor hoped he hadn't made a terrible mistake.

Gallifrey was going to war.

* * *

_Index Files: The Daleks._

_Now for something completely different. Those of you who are studious on the subject of the Doctor's universe, will no doubt have noted that the Daleks native to his version of reality are creatures of pure evil. Feeling only rage, hatred, and the desire to completely exterminate all forms of life that are not Dalek. And those of you from the Doctor's universe will be surprised to learn that the Daleks_ aren't _pulling a sort of long con on the universe at large._

_Of course, over here it's a different story. No one is quite sure what caused the Daleks of our universe to be so different, those events were locked away from the rest of the universe by the Time Lords. Some say a renegade Time Lord intervened, others say that our Davros just wasn't as morally bankrupt as the one the Doctor knew. Regardless, thanks to those differences, when the Time Lords stepped in and saved the surviving Daleks from destruction, they felt gratitude, and pledged their service to the Time Lords. A ruling Council of Daleks even emerged to rule the Daleks that had been moved to Gallifrey._

_A few of you will have taken note of the differing pigments of the Dalek Councilors, and since it didn't come up in any of the accounts here, may be curious as to which color belonged to which, and their functions. Allow me to explain._

_Platinum - The Dalek Supreme: The Dalek Supreme, or Emperor as it is sometimes referred to, serves as similar role as the Time Lord President. It acts to ratify laws, and serves as the voice of the Dalek people in diplomatic functions._

_Blue - The Dalek Magistrate: The Dalek Magistrate is essentially the Daleks' "Grand Judge." It acts to enforce the laws devised by the Council, by passing judgement upon those caught breaking the law._

_Red - The Dalek Strategist: The Dalek Strategist handles matters of wartime significance. It holds ultimate jurisdiction over the military, and coordinates ground and space engagements at the highest level._

_Indigo - The Dalek Scientist: The Dalek Scientist formulates and produces technological advancements for use by both the Daleks and Time Lords. In wartime, it's job is to reverse engineer enemy technology, and to understand the weaknesses of the enemy on the battlefield._

_Gold - The Dalek Eternal: The Dalek Eternal's sole duty is to preserve the Dalek race, both in history and genetic makeup. It is an entirely unique Dalek, with many modifications possessed only by it. In combat situations, should it find itself in one, its only purpose is to retreat from the battlefield, and reconstruct the Dalek race should it need to do so._


	44. Godzilla, King of the Thresher Maws

Shepard's feet kicked up dirt and soot as she darted between the charred husks of long dead trees.

She was running through the Ash Forest again.

It was much the same as it was the last time, only now there where shadowy black figures scattered throughout the forest, the place seemed... _deader_ somehow, and though it was in the completely wrong part of space, Earth loomed overhead, its surface criss-crossed by flaming scars the size of states.

And this time, she was running _away_ from Ashley.

The ghostly figure with eyes more empty than dark space was in front of Shepard every time she turned a corner. Ashley's face held an accusatory gaze, and Shepard could feel the utter contempt the once noble woman was giving off. Shepard instantly turned on her heel, and ran in the opposite direction.

The Commander darted through more trees, the silver leaves crunching as she sprinted.

She had to get out of this place.

Shepard silently prayed, begged to whatever deity held dominion over the universe, to just _get her out of this damn place._ The atmosphere was oppressive, and became more and more smothering as she ran, until...

It cleared, and she found herself in a small clearing.

A campfire stood in between two chairs. One chair was empty, in the other sat a woman.

The Woman was about Shepard's height, and a little bit older. The Woman's crimson hair and green eyes were a stark difference to Shepard's own blonde hair and brown eyes. This Woman, despite looking human enough, seemed to be hiding something decidedly non-human underneath, though how Shepard knew that, she had no clue. Her face was dotted with faint freckles, and she was wearing an Alliance uniform, but somehow it seemed odd. Like the Woman shouldn't have been wearing it because it just didn't fit her character.

Even more odd, was just how... familiar the Woman seemed.

The Woman finally looked up from the fire, where she was frying bacon. And she smiled. A kind, innocent smile that wrapped around Shepard's soul like a mother's hug, and told her everything was going to be alright.

"Hello..." Shepard greeted uncertainly.

"Hello." The Woman responded. She gestured to the chair across from her. "Sit, please. You won't be here long."

Shepard stepped forward, and reluctantly obeyed. She looked around. "Where is... here?" Shepard asked. "And why won't I be here long?"

The Woman leaned forward slightly, and turned over the food in the frying pan. "Funny thing about dreams... They can last for so long while you're having them, years even, and when you wake up, only an hour could've passed... So true, is the inverse."

"So, this place, it's a dream I'm having?" Shepard deduced. "And I suppose I'm about to wake up soon?"

The Woman nodded.

Shepard continued. "So... If I'm dreaming, this is all in my mind. And if that's the case, then what are you?" Shepard questioned. "A figment of my imagination."

The Woman smiled again. "Not quite... But yes at the same time. I am quite real, as real as you or the Doctor." The Woman answered. "I just... Haven't been born yet."

Shepard frowned, not understanding. "If you haven't been born, then why are you here? Is this another timey-wimey thing?"

The Woman laughed. "No. And yes. And as to why I am here..." The Woman's look of mirth quickly disappeared. "Last time you were in this place... You let it in."

"Let _what_ in?"

The Woman leaned forward. "The thing that's wearing the corpse of your friend." She whispered gravely.

Shepard suddenly felt very, very afraid. "What thing?" She whispered out.

Before the woman could answer, the clearing filled with searing light, and Shepard felt the grip she had on this place fading away

The Woman sighed and shook her head. "Don't worry... You'll be back here soon. Just remember one thing;" She leaned closer. "Deep in the Citadel, where no thing stirs, there he sleeps. And he is waking."

"He!? Who's he!?"

The light grew so bright, it began to feel like Shepard was being cooked alive. The light overwhelmed the Commander, and finally...

She woke up.

* * *

Shepard's cabin on the Normandy had always held a welcoming atmosphere, and as Shepard stirred from deep within her sleep, she was grateful for it immensely. She forced sleep out of her eyes, and sat upright in her bed, looking around her cabin.

Shepard frowned. She was getting fucking tired of prophetic dream shit.

The intercom chimed, and Shepard looked up.

_"Shepard,"_ EDI's voice rang out from overhead. _"Professor Solus has reported success on the genophage cure. However, there seems to be a new development."_

"Define 'new development.'" Shepard replied.

_"Unknown. I have called for the team to assemble in the war room."_

"Then I'm on my way."

* * *

"Shepard!" Mordin greeted, as the Commander walked down the steps. "New developments, problematic."

"As EDI's already told me." Shepard responded. "What does that mean?"

"Destroyer-class Reaper, spotted near Shroud Facility."

"Hold on," The Doctor interjected, "Shroud Facility? What's that?"

"Atmospheric repair device. Krogan destroyed Tuchanka's environment during nuclear war." Mordin explained. "Shroud delivery system for cure."

"And now there's a Reaper blocking it." Shepard finished. She turned to Mordin. "Any ideas why it's there?"

"Reapers likely aware of cure development." Mordin stated. "Using Shroud to poison atmosphere, trying to stop us."

Javik grunted. "A despicable, but sound strategy."

"It doesn't matter." Wrex rumbled from his side of the room. "We're getting to that tower and deploying that cure if I have to rip apart that Reaper myself."

"Primarch," Shepard turned to the turian in dress uniform. "Is there anything you can spare?"

"That may be difficult." The turian looked down. "Losses on Palaven have been catastrophic."

"Doctor, any word from the Time Lords?" She turned to her double.

"No." The Time Lord shook his head. He pulled a dark grey cube out of his pocket. It was a specialized psychic container, modified to act as a receiver instead of a messenger. When the Time Lords were ready to deploy their troops and the Daleks, the cube would illuminate by itself. So far, it had stayed a dull grey.

Shepard turned back to Mordin. "Can we wait to do this just a little longer?"

Mordin vehemently shook his head. "No! Genophage cure viable only for short time. Wait too long, cure useless, have to restart from scratch!"

"So, we're on a time table." Shepard shook her head. "Primarch, we need those reinforcements."

Victus sighed, and nodded. "What did you have in mind?"

"Your people distract the Reaper from above using airstrikes." Shepard began. "We'll sneak in under it while it's occupied."

"Hold on," Garrus spoke up, "Why not just use the TARDIS? Why not just land _in_ the Shroud."

"TARDIS travel uses fuel, just like the Normandy does." The Doctor explained. "We'll have to wait for the engines to recharge before we can use it again. Also, because _shut_ _up_."

"So that's the plan." Shepard finished. "We'll need to be quick about this. Once the Reaper realizes we're attacking, it won't be long before its brethren show up. Everyone ready?"

Wrex snorted. "You had me at 'cure the genophage.' Come on, pyjaks, Let's go do this thing."

Stirred up by Wrex's gusto, the team broke, and proceeded into action.

While Shepard was turning to leave, Traynor interrupted her.

_"Commander, incoming message marked urgent."_

Shepard frowned. "Did it say who it was from?"

_"No, Commander, just that it was urgent."_

Shepard shook her head. "Don't patch it through. I don't answer spam."

And with that, she headed to join her team.

* * *

The shuttle dove into the Tuchankan atmosphere, hitting sandstorms and rattling as it flew.

Wrex paced around the shuttle interior, looking quite visibly anxious.

"Wrex," Shepard addressed, "You good over there, big man?"

Wrex snorted. "Yeah, it's just hard to believe you know? For the longest time, the Genophage cure was the thing I was working hardest to accomplish. Now, _it's actually happening._ Feels good to have hope for the species again."

The Doctor smiled from his side of the shuttle. "It's always good to have hope. Hope means there's still something left to fight for."

"Yeah." The Krogan rumbled.

"You sure the other Krogan are ready for the cure?" Shepard asked.

"Shepard, I spent the last two-and-a-half years busting my ass to get the clans ready for this day." Wrex retorted. "If they're not ready to let old grudges die, I'm going to have _words_ with them about it before they start another war."

"Words?" Shepard raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "I didn't realize you did diplomacy."

"Yeah, well, Krogan diplomacy usually involves much more headbutting and shotgun blasts than your brand." Wrex instantly fired back.

Shepard chuckled. "I'm going to miss you after this is done, Wrex. You sure you don't want to come back to the Normandy?"

"Someone's got to keep the whole thing from falling apart while you're busy." Wrex stated. "Besides, the Normandy's brand of weird has gotten a lot weirder since I've been gone."

"Time-traveling duplicates from another universe." Liara began.

"Granddaughters of reincarnations from the distant past." Garrus continued.

"Evil aliens from the dawn of time. Well, a new kind." James kept on.

"And a Prothean." Javik finished tersely.

Wrex stared at Javik, and back at Shepard. "Somehow, that just doesn't surprise me."

"So, what's the plan?" Shepard inquired. "Your species, your op."

Wrex snorted. "Thanks, pin all the blame on me if this goes south." Then, he turned serious. "I've given the order for the clans to assemble at the Hallows, our old sacred meeting grounds. Once we're there, we get that convoy moving, and get that Reaper out of our way."

Shepard nodded, and began to settle for the rest of the flight, when out of nowhere, the shuttle shook as something outside passed by it. "What the hell!?" Shepard demanded of nobody in particular.

Wrex suddenly put his hand to his comm, and the rest of the group could hear in on his channel.

_"Wrex, it's Wreav, the Reapers have beaten us to the Hallows! Get ready for a fight!"_

Wrex nodded at Shepard, and she gave the signal for the team to ready their weapons. The shuttle floated down to the ground, and the hatches slid open.

Wrex jumped out first, blasting away a husk with his oversized shotgun.

"Shepard, get down in there and clear the place out!" Wrex yelled over the sandstorm outside. "I'll find the other clans and get their asses inside!"

Shepard nodded, gestured for the team to follow, and they charged down the steps into the Hallows.

"Open fire!" Shepard bellowed, as soon as the doors opened.

With that simple command, gunfire erupted out from the group, aimed solely at the husks swarming the Hallows from below.

The place, from what the Doctor could see, was an old military installation, more specifically a missile silo. But the dome overhead had been ruptured open, allowing the elements, and now the Reapers' ground units, access to the old base.

As the gunfire rang out through the Hallows, so too did chatter from the team.

"Damn husks are everywhere!" Vega yelled over the gunfire, as he took of the heads of three husks in quick succession.

"Just like Palaven." Garrus grimly remarked.

"These pitiful things are nothing." Javik shouted, ripping apart a husk with his biotics. "The husks in my cycle were made of a thousand dead, stitched together. They consumed entire buildings at once."

"The square-cube law states that such a creature would collapse under its own weight!" EDI yelled.

"Mass Effect fields, EDI!" Liara retorted.

"Perhaps, but that would still not account for-"

"Work on your research paper later!" River yelled. "We're still trying to kill things!"

_"Shepard!"_ Wrex radioed in. _"We've got the outside clear, we're heading in now. Once we get the inside clear, we can load up those trucks, and get moving."_

"You heard the man!" Shepard shouted. "Get these husks taken care of!"

Gunfire, biotics, explosions, and the whirring of the sonic screwdriver caused the last of the husks in the room to be rendered to little more than a grey paste, and the door open.

"Ha ha!" Wrex laughed, walking down the stairs. "This'll be a battle for the ages!"

Mordin walked behind him, carrying a small refrigeration unit. "Shepard, cure stable, for now. Need to get it to shroud fast as possible. Environmental stressors could cause mutation, create unforseen side effects."

"What's a salarian doing here!?" Another krogan demanded, walking up to the group. He radiated hostility, and all of it seemed directed at Mordin. "Nobody said anything about this!"

"Oh." Mordin stated. "Was hoping genophage cure would temper hostilities until mission completion." He inhaled. "Seems I was mistaken."

"And who are you anyway?" Shepard demanded of the new arrival.

"Urdnot Wreav." The krogan rumbled. "Brood brother to our... _illustrious_ leader."

Wrex turned to Shepard. "Wreav and I share a mother." He turned back to Wreav. "And nothing else!"

"For which I am thankful! I remember what it means to be true krogan!" And the crowd following him erupted into cheers. "We flay our enemies alive and drown them in a geyser. Not invite them into our home!"

Wrex rolled his eyes, stepped up, and headbutted Wreav square in the plate. "Mordin is here to cure the genophage." He told Wreav, as he sent the other krogan down to the floor. "If any of you _dare_ to lay a finger on him, you'll beg to be fed to the Reapers."

The other krogan began to snarl, and the group behind Wreav readied their weapons as they growled.

"Enough!" Wrex suddenly boomed over the crowd, turning all attention on to him, and he addressed the crowd. "For generations, our people have been forced to watch as the genophage ravaged us! Pitted fathers against sons, made brothers enemies, turned nurseries into mortuaries, and sentenced our species to a long, painful, pitiful death! Now we can change that, to give back our race the dignity it deserves, and you don't want it, _because a salarian made the cure?_ I don't care if you don't like Mordin, hell, I still don't. But this isn't just your future we're fighting for, and it isn't Wreav's, it isn't even mine. So you can stand with Wreav, and force our people into the howling dark, or you can stand with me, and give the krogan back the future that was taken from us! What's it gonna be!?"

The crowd of krogan erupted into cheers, and fired their guns overhead.

Wrex stepped back from the crowd, and fixed Wreav with a look of smug satisfaction. "Guess we know their answer."

"Nice speech." Shepard complimented, smiling.

"I learned from the best." The big guy rumbled. "Come on, everyone!" Wrex yelled, so that his voice was carried all throughout the room. "Let's get that convoy moving!"

* * *

With the trucks loaded up, the convoy rolled out across Tuchanka's broken, sandy highways.

The team was split between two trucks. The Doctor, Shepard, Wrex, Mordin, Javik, and EDI in one, with the rest in another.

Shepard's truck was in the middle of the convoy, so that if enemy forces tried to destroy the trucks, it wouldn't be picked off at the front, or become fall behind.

The truck rolled over a pile of rubble, and drove in formation with the rest of the convoy.

_"Krogan ground convoy, this is Artimec Wing."_ The lead pilot of the fighter squad radioed in. _"Our flight vector to the Shroud is locked. ETA: Ten minutes."_

"Understood," Shepard replied, "We're getting into position now. Shepard out."

The Doctor let out a breath, and sat down. "So, Wrex, Wreav can't be the only krogan that wants revenge for the genophage. How are you going to keep them in line once it's cured?"

"I'll demand the Council give us back some of our old territory." Wrex answered. "Recapture the glory of the ancients."

"'Glory of ancients' led to Krogan Rebellions." Mordin pointed out. "Countless deaths. Creation of genophage. Expansion plan... problematic."

"Don't worry Mordin." Shepard addressed. "Wrex is one of the few krogan I've met who seems smart enough to not want to repeat the krogan rebellions. Plus, he's got Eve to reign him in."

"Yeah." Wrex rumbled. "Don't remind me."

"What's the problem Wrex?" Shepard snidely asked. "Don't wanna take orders from a female?"

"I'm a free spirit. You can't keep me down." Suddenly, everyone in the truck lurched forward, as the grinding of brakes echoed in the truck. "What's going on?" Wrex demanded. "Why are we stopping?"

The truck stopped, and Shepard, curious as to what was going on, popped the door open, and jumped out onto the ruined pavement. The Doctor, Javik, and EDI followed, and they took in the scenery.

She looked forward to see the Shroud, jutting out of the ground like a knife. The whole facility glowed an eerie teal, as it radiated out particles of who knows what into the overcast sky. The Reaper Destroyer that the team had to distract was stomping around the facility, each one of its thunderous footsteps being heard and felt by those on the bridge.

"Hang on a second, Wrex." Shepard said into the truck. "It'll just be a minute."

"Look at that." The Doctor pointed, looking at the nebulous stream of particles from the Shroud. "Beautiful.

"The only thing here that will be 'beautiful,' is the Reaper's molten corpse." Javik grumbled.

The Doctor fixed Javik with a look of disdain. "You don't get out much, do you?"

Shepard walked to the front of the convoy, seeing one of the truck's drivers standing outside. She approached the driver, who was looking at the road ahead, and spoke to him. "What's the hold up?"

"Path ahead's torn to hell." The krogan stated. "Don't know if the convoy can make it through this much rubble."

Shepard sighed, and put her hand to her comm. "Artimec Wing, this is Shepard. There's been a delay, hold off your attack."

_"Negative, Commander."_ The Turian Leader responded. _"Our approach is locked in, and the Reaper's already spotted us."_

Indeed, the ground shook as the Reaper turned to look in Shepard's direction. Overhead, the roar of Turian fighters broke the calm, as Artimec Wing flew past.

The team could see the gunfire shoot out from the fighters, and impact against the Reaper, causing a myriad of explosions across its metallic skin.

"They're going to get themselves killed if we don't get a move on." The Doctor said to Shepard.

Shepard nodded, and turned back to the krogan driver. "I don't care if we have to _build_ a new road, we are going!"

The krogan nodded, and got back into the truck, and Shepard's team moved to do the same.

But before they could get far, they could hear the Reaper roar, as it fired its beam weapon at a turian fighter. The shot was a grazing blow, but it was enough to knock the fighter into an uncontrolled spin, straight towards the road. The fighter crashed, and sent one of the trucks flying in an explosion of debris.

Shepard, knocked to the ground, pushed herself back from the impact.

_"Shepard, what the hell's going on out there!?"_ Wrex frantically demanded over the comm.

"Wrex, get Mordin and the cure out of here now! Go!" She ordered, and the trucks pulled off, kicking up even more dust, as the wall next to the road collapsed. Had the trucks stayed where they were, even for a second longer, they would've been pinned under the rubble, unable to move.

"Well, that's the cure safe, but what about us?" The Doctor asked.

"We're going to have to hoof it." She stated.

"Commander, there is a tunnel over there." EDI pointed. "It will likely provide safe passage."

Shepard nodded, readied her gun, and charged into the tunnel's entrance, the team following close behind.

"Wrex, can you hear me?" Shepard radioed, her voice echoing throughout the dark tunnel as they walked along. "Is everyone all right?"

_"Yeah, most everybody made it out just fine, including the rest of your team."_

"Oh, thank the Lord. Listen, the Turians had to call of the airstrike." Shepard explained. "We're gonna need a new plan to get rid of that Reaper."

_"Well, first we'll need to get back together. Where are you?"_

"No clue. Ruins of some kind." Shepard said, running her flashlight over the wall. "It looks like there are hieroglyphs on the walls."

_"Hmm, ancient krogan city perhaps?"_ Mordin chimed in.

"Maybe. Any idea how we get out?" Shepard questioned, turning at a fork.

_"No idea. It's not like I went exploring down there the other day."_ "Wrex retorted.

"Great." Shepard sarcastically shot back.

_"Ah, quit your bellyaching. You've made better out of worse situations. Once you get out of there, we'll meet up."_ And he cut the line.

"Krogan art." EDI remarked as they passed by it. "It is surprising to see that it has survived this long.

"Krogan culture." Javik corrected. "I was led to believe such a thing did not exist."

The entire hallway began to rumble and shake, throwing the team off-balance.

"What was that?" Shepard looked up.

"Tremors." The Doctor said. "They aren't micro-earthquakes, we're not far enough down for that. Something above is causing the ground to shake like this."

"The Reaper?" Shepard assumed.

"Maybe." The Doctor granted, though he looked doubtful that was the answer.

"Wrex, are you feeling these tremors?" Shepard asked, still soldiering along.

_"Not a thing."_

Those listening in on the call could hear Mordin's sharp intake of breath. _"Kalros, Mother of all Thresher Maws. Said to live in region. Reason Shroud built here instead of other sites."_

_"Which means it's another reason to get your ass out of there Shepard. Step on it!"_ Wrex stressed.

Shepard closed her eyes, and shook her head. "Thresher maws. It just had to be thresher maws."

"Is it concerning to anybody else that the Krogan have named a Thresher Maw?" The Doctor asked.

"It must me quite an unusual specimen." EDI hypothesized.

The team tuned a corner, and recoiled slightly when met with the sight before them.

A very bloated, insectiod corpse, modified with Reaper technology was pinned under a chunk of rubble. It was obvious the thing was dead, but _damn_ did it smell terrible.

"What is that?" The Doctor questioned, looking at it, but not getting any closer.

"It looks... _kind of_ like rachni." Shepard said.

"Rachni?" Javik looked down at it. "They have gotten much larger since my cycle."

"If there is one here, it is likely there are more." EDI pointed out.

Shepard nodded in agreement. "I was thinking the same thing." She opened the comms. "Wrex, be on the lookout up there. We've got rachni."

_"I know."_ Wrex responded. _"We just had to mow down a few. Get up here quick, Shepard, we've got to get to the Shroud."_

The team pressed on through the tunnels, until they found a set of stairs leading up, with a white glow coming from the top.

"Daylight." The Doctor pointed out with appreciation. "I didn't fancy being a moleman for the rest of my days."

The team walked through what looked to be some kind of canal or reservoir, up another set of steps, out into the daylight proper.

Shepard opened the comms once more as the sunlight hit her face. "Wrex, we've hit daylight."

"Daylight and greenery." The Doctor corrected, looking at a root system and several plants growing in the canal. "From what I could see, I didn't think plants could grow here anymore."

_"Shroud facility seeding soil with nutrients."_ Mordin explained. _"Accelerating biosphere recovery."_

"So it's not just the atmosphere the Shroud's repairing." Shepard realized.

_"Indeed. One day, Tuchanka may return to pre-atomic conditions. For now, Shroud is simply delivery mechanism for cure."_

_"Shepard, that Reaper is still up to no good."_ Wrex reported. _"Find you a way outta there, and we'll pick you up."_

"Got it." She returned, leading the team along the cracked and overgrown pathways.

The team was enjoying the paradoxical beauty of the place, when the atmosphere boomed, and two flaming meteors fell down ahead of them.

"Dispersal pods!" Shepard pointed out, grabbing her gun.

The two pods hit the ground, each one holding one of the Reaper-controlled rachni. Ravagers, Shepard thought to call them.

The team opened fire on the two Ravagers, the Reaper troops returning fire with their own integrated weaponry. Some of the gunfire hit the bloated sacs on one of the Ravagers, releasing a swarm of little insects that headed straight for the team.

The Doctor, now on damage control, focused on repelling the little Swarmers with the Sonic Screwdriver.

The team managed to take out the two big ones, and so turned their attention to the bugs.

The last Swarmer popped, and the team continued forward, as the ground beneath their feet began to rumble.

"There it is again!" Javik stated.

"Kalros must be getting close to the surface." The Doctor theorized.

"Great. Let's not be here when it pops out." Shepard replied. Taking a dip in Thresher Maw acid was at the very bottom of her bucket list, thank you.

The team jumped a gap in the path, took out more Reaper troops that came around the corner, and pressed on.

_"Shepard, we're waiting for you under a bridge. Jump down, and we can get this thing moving."_ Wrex ordered.

The team came to the wide stone bridge, and were about to cross it when the ground began to shake like an earthquake was happening. A range of bony fins jutted out of the sand, and bisected the bridge.

_"Holy shit, Kalros!"_ Wrex boomed. _"Everyone break off and get the hell out!"_ He ordered, throwing the truck into gear.

_"Kalros's territorial instincts confirmed!"_ Mordin yelled, seemingly an effort to keep himself calm.

_"She's not getting us today!"_ Wrex stated.

"Come on!" Shepard ordered the team. "We've gotta keep moving!"

The team jumped the gap in the bridge, and continued forward.

_"That's the right idea, Shepard!"_ Wrex complimented. _"We'll try to shake Kalros!"_

_"Thresher Maw getting closer!"_ Mordin yelled in distress.

_"Tell me something I don't know!"_

_"Iron in trucks excellent for Thresher Maw's diet!"_

The Doctor shook his head as they continued. "Thing is, only knowing the man for a few days, I bet Wrex is loving this."

They walked into a hexagonal plaza, with five statues looking in at the center, to a throne. Husks, cannibals, and marauders began to swarm in the center, and the team opened fire.

_"Shepard,"_ Mordin interjected, _"Wrex busy driving truck. Still alive?"_

"We're hanging in there!" Shepard responded, as one of her Novas fell a cluster of Husks. "How about you!?"

_"Cure stable, but repeated turbulence could damage vial!"_ Mordin reported. _"Situation alarming, yet entertaining. Kalros remarkable specimen!"_

The team fell the last cluster of husks, and ran onwards. They made it to the top of a ruined set of stairs, overlooking and leading down into the sand. The trucks pulled around, and slammed on their brakes.

Shepard turned to the team. "Get into that truck, move!" She yelled, breaking into a sprint down the steps, running across the sand. The truck's door popped open, and the Doctor jumped inside, followed by Javik, then EDI, and then finally Shepard. "We're in!" Shepard yelled to Wrex. "Go, go!"

Wrex slammed his foot on the gas, and the truck took off, followed by the rest. The ground shook as Kalros roared and dove into the ground under another one of the trucks, pulling it into the sand from underneath.

Shepard ran into the truck's cabin. "Is everyone alright!?" She asked of Wrex.

"Yeah, that truck was Wreav's." Wrex replied. "The rest of your team is on Worf's."

Shepard let out a heavy sigh of relief, and patted Wrex on his back. "Good driving."

"I aim to please." Wrex snidely responded. "Now, let's go finish this. We've got a Reaper waiting for us."

* * *

The two surviving trucks pulled out in front of the Shroud, in front of (but out of sight of) the Reaper standing guard over the facility.

The trucks opened, and their occupants filed out.

"I don't think we've got a big enough gun to handle that." Garrus breathed, looking at the Destroyer.

"To charge in underneath that Reaper now would be suicidal." EDI stated.

"It doesn't matter." Wrex said. "We've got to cure the genophage."

"Well, does anyone have any ideas?" Shepard questioned.

Mordin, who was still holding the small refrigeration unit, inhaled. "One. Shroud build in arena dedicated to Kalros. Use maw hammers inside, should draw Kalros to Reaper."

The Doctor looked at Shepard. "I'm twelve-hundred years old, I've taken quite a bit of risks in my time, but this? This seems crazy."

"Really? I thought you were the kind of guy that got off on danger." Shepard returned.

"I mean, yes, but even I have to draw the line somewhere." The Doctor stated.

"This is all pointless, we're curing the genophage, no matter what." Wrex stated.

"Yes, Wrex and I will take alternate route, keep cure safe." Mordin said.

Shepard nodded, and turned to face Garrus, Liara, River, and James. "You four go with them, keep them safe."

"Roger that, Shepard." Garrus nodded.

"Right." Shepard stepped forward, drawing her weapon. She took in a gulp of air to steady herself, and began moving forward. "Let's go!"

A wave of dispersal pods hit the ground, releasing Reaper troops into their path. This didn't faze them one bit, and as they opened fire on the Reaper troops, the team pushed through, towards the Shroud.

The team charged up a flight of stairs to the left, and as they moved to cross a bridge, they could hear the metallic growling of the Reaper in the distance.

"Oh, dear Rassilon." The Doctor cursed. "How's a Thresher Maw supposed to fight that!?"

Shepard was just about to jump across the gap in the bridge, when the sound of the Reaper's beam weapon could be heard. The laser fired, and cut into the bridge, taking off the chunk where Shepard was standing.

The rest of the team jumped down after her, and the Doctor pulled her up.

"Is everyone okay?" Shepard coughed, slightly disoriented by the fall. Disoriented enough, to where she couldn't register the ground shaking.

"We're fine, but we've got bigger problems!" The Doctor pointed.

Shepard turned around, to see the Reaper in front of the Shroud now walking towards them.

"Move, now!" Shepard yelled, charging forward.

The Reaper fired its weapon down at the team, narrowly missing where Shepard had stood, and hitting a stone column.

"This is one new experience I was hoping not to learn!" EDI shouted.

"I remember doing this intimately!" Javik returned.

The team nevertheless progressed, darting and weaving in and out of cover.

The Doctor, who was now at the front, looked up to see the Reaper looking straight down at him. He rolled back into cover, narrowly dodging the shot. "How are we supposed to get past that!?"

His questioned was answered when gunfire rang out from above, and a squadron of Turian fighters darted overhead.

_"Commander, this is Artimec Wing!"_ The Flight Commander addressed. _"We'll try to give that Reaper something else to shoot at!"_

A flurry of explosions rang out across the Reaper's face, and the Reaper turned away from Shepard's team to focus on the fighters.

As it stomped, kicking up sand and stone, the team took the opportunity presented to them, and ran forth to an intersection.

"Don't freak out, don't freak out!" The Doctor willed himself as he ran.

On the left, sat the controls for one of the maw hammers. On the right, sat more of the same.

"Split up!" Shepard ordered. "Doctor, with Javik! EDI, with me!"

"OKAY I'M FREAKING OUT!" The elder Time Lord screeched.

"Just..." Shepard jittered. "Focus on something else!"

The Doctor nodded, and pulled Javik along on the path to the left. "Focus on something else, something else, something else... With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound he pulls the spitting high-tension wires down!"

"Are you..." Javik incredulously asked. " _Singing_ on the battlefield!?"

"IF YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA TO CALM ME DOWN I'M ALL FOR IT!" The Doctor angrily retorted. "Helpless people on subway trains screamed bug-eyed as he looks in on them!"

A cluster of dispersal pods rained down from above, depositing Husks and Marauders onto the path.

"He picks up a bus and he throws it back down as he wades through the village towards the centre of town!"

Javik opened fire on the Reaper troops, while the Doctor dodged in and out of cover. On the other side, Shepard and EDI were doing the same.

Eventually, the Doctor made it to the end of the pathway to the maw hammer. "Big friendly button, thank you!" He smiled, slamming down his hand on the simplistic control he decided he liked.

The maw hammer, a thick metal rod suspended in the air, fell and slammed into the ground. It was pulled back up, and proceeded to fall again over and over, in sequence.

"Oh no, they say he's got to go! Go, go, Godzilla!" The Doctor turned back around, and gave the motions for Javik to follow. Heading back the way they came, they charged down Shepard's path. "Oh no, there goes Tokyo, go, go Godzilla!"

The two had barely made it before Shepard activated the other control, and she turned to face them. "Get back to the trucks! I'll help with the cure!"

The Doctor nodded, and Javik and EDI followed him back as the ground began to shake even more.

Unbeknownst to them, they were about to witness the most exhilarating, terrifying, beautiful thing seen in this war so far.

Kalros, skimming the surface of the sand, charged towards the Reaper. The Reaper, feeling Kalros's approach, turned to face the Thresher Maw as it charged its weapon. The Reaper stomped forward, and boomed. In response, Kalros let out its own mighty, challenging roar. The Reaper fired into the sand, missing Kalros as it dove back into the ground. The Reaper staggered back, before Kalros shot out of the ground, arching towards the Reaper's face.

Taking this as her moment to run, Shepard made a break for the Shroud's entrance.

Kalros slammed into the metal abomination as the Reaper tried to fire its laser. The Reaper twisted around, and slammed Kalros into the stone out in front of the Shroud. The Reaper growled again, as it slammed Kalros into the side of the Shroud.

Kalros let go of the Reaper, and the Reaper fired again, as Kalros retreated back into the sand. The Reaper spun around, trying to track the colossal thresher maw, to no avail.

Kalros sprung out from the sand behind the Reaper, and slammed into the top of the mechanical monster. The Reaper slammed into the ground, its weapon discharging, as Kalros put its entire weight on the Reaper.

And in the maelstrom of sand and debris kicked up by the titanic battle, amidst the dying cries of the mechanical beast, Kalros drug the Reaper down into the sand, her title of queen of all beasts on Tuchanka still holding true, Kalros was victorious.

* * *

Shepard walked down the steps into the lobby of the Shroud. The battle between Kalros and the Reaper had caused significant damage. Fires had broken out all over the place, and explosions up on the tower rocked the entire complex.

Mordin was working at one of the terminals, a dented up refrigeration unit beside him, and he was holding the cure in hand.

"Mordin!" Shepard addressed, walking up. "Is the cure ready?"

"Yes! Loaded for dispersal in two minutes!" Mordin replied, typing diligently at the terminal.

Another explosion rocked the room, and a chunk of flaming debris crashed into the ground near Shepard. "Damn!" The Commander cursed.

"Control room at top of tower." Mordin explained. "Must take elevator up."

Shepard looked at the top of the tower. Explosions from inside dotted the exterior, and an ominous storm of electricity came out of the top. "You're going _up_ there!?" Shepard demanded.

"Yes." Mordin nodded. "STG sabotaged shroud years ago." He tapped a few controls on his omni-tool, and the elevator opened. "Have to compensate! Make sure cure is dispersed properly!"

"Mordin, the tower is shaking itself apart!" Shepard pointed out. "There's got to be another way you can do this!"

Mordin shook his head. "Remote bypass impossible. STG countermeasures in place. No time to adjust cure for temperature variance." Mordin looked down. "No. No other option in place. Suggest you get to safe distance." Mordin turned to Shepard. "Explosions likely... problematic." He began walking forward.

"Mordin, no!"

"Shepard, please." Mordin turned back around once he was in the elevator. "Need to do this. My project, my work, my cure. My responsibility." He closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. "Would've liked to run tests on the seashells."

"...I'm sorry." Shepard whispered.

Mordin smiled. "I'm not. Had to be me." The elevator door slid closed. "Someone else might have gotten it wrong." And the elevator whirred as it began moving up.

Shepard turned, and ran out of the building, as fast as her legs could carry her.

inside the elevator, Mordin took in a sharp intake of breath, and steeled himself for what came next. The elevator stopped, and the door slid open, allowing Mordin into the room.

_"Warning: Temperature malfunction detected!"_ The automated systems announced.

Mordin shielded himself from the explosions that were occurring, and walked up to the control terminal. He slid the cure into a port on the console, and began to hum as he worked. "I've studied species turian, asari, and batarian..." He softly sang, as he counteracted the sabotage.

_"Temperature now in acceptable range."_ The computer announced. _"Dispersal commencing."_

A wave of golden particles exploded out from the Shroud tower, covering the surrounding area, and eventually the whole of Tuchanka.

Mordin took in a breath as he let go of the console. "My xenoscience studies range from urban to agrarian. I am the very model of a-"

The top of the Shroud exploded in a massive fireball.

* * *

Shepard and the team stood at the bottom of the Shroud. Glowing gold snow fell on everyone in the vicinity.

Wrex got out of his truck, and Eve was dropped off by the Normandy's shuttle.

Wrex and Eve, in both wonder and hope, looked up at the unnatural, yet beautiful aurora emitting out from the Shroud, as Mordin's cure seeded the entire atmosphere.

Shepard gave one last look at the Shroud, and everyone piled back into the trucks, back to the hallows.

And in the distance, as the trucks drove along. One last silent explosion cut through the Shroud, and the tower fell, as did the cure that would give the krogan a reason to not only fight, but live.

* * *

"A long time ago," Wrex began, leading Shepard and Eve into the hallows, "My father betrayed me in this place. His own son. He tried to kill me. So I had to kill him. Right over there." Wrex pointed. "That's what the genophage reduced us to, Shepard. Animals. But you changed that today,"

"Now we will fight for our children." Eve picked up. "Not against them. I only wish I could've been down here... Perhaps then, Mordin would not have had to die."

Shepard looked vacantly at the empty krogan funeral pyre. "No... He wanted you to stay on the Normandy for a reason. To make sure you saw the future you were fighting for." She leaned on the railing. "And if it's any consolation, I'm sure that, no matter where he is... He's putting in a good word."

"We'll name one of the kids after him. Maybe a girl." Wrex wisecracked.

"But you, Commander," Eve stepped forward. "We can thank you in person."

Wrex nodded. "Tell the Turians I'll be deploying troops to Palaven immediately. And when you're ready to kick the Reapers off Earth, you let me know. The Krogan are back in business." He slammed his fists together.

"Goodbye, Commander." Eve shook Shepard's hand.

"What will you do now?" Shepard asked of the Shaman.

"Spread the hope you've given us." Eve answered. "Even now, there are clans gathering in the Kelphic Valley. I will speak to them, make sure this gift isn't squandered. Thank you, for all that you've done. And know that Urdnot Bakara calls you a friend." She bowed.

Shepard nodded one last time and Wrex, and turned to leave the hallows, and Tuchanka, behind.


	45. Interlude: The Randomizer

_"Shepard,"_ Admiral Hackett greeted as his hologram flickered into existence in the comm room. _"You've done the impossible again. Curing the genophage?"_ The aged man shook his head. _"I never thought I'd see the day."_

"It took a lot to pull it off." Shepard stated.

Hackett nodded in understanding. _"I've heard about Professor Solus. My apologies."_

"Still, it worked out well in the end." Shepard began. "Wrex had promised to send troops to Palaven immediately."

_"Glad to hear it, it means we're making headway. Though I take it that means the Salarians are out of the picture?"_ Hackett assumed.

"Most of them, yes." Shepard confirmed. "Though Major Kirrahe has pledged support of his STG contingent."

_"Well then, I suppose I'll have to take what I can get. Any news from the Time Lords?"_

"The Doctor's messaging system has finally lit up, we'll be getting those reinforcements any day now." Shepard explained. It wasn't a detailed set of troop movements or battle plans, just the confirmation that they were rolling out, but it was all they needed. "And their High Council is supposed to be sending an envoy to the Citadel any day now."

Hackett nodded. _"I'm sure Anderson will be glad to hear it."_

Shepard crossed her arms. "Any updates on the Moment?"

_"Construction is coming along, but we still have no idea what it does."_ Hackett answered. _"Our scientists are hoping the Time Lords can speed things along."_

"Then let's hope they get here fast."

_"On that, we can agree."_ Hackett nodded. _"There is one more thing I'd like to discuss with you."_

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Being?"

_"The Quarians."_ Hackett stated, taking a datapad from someone out of view. _"Our comm analysts have picked up what they believe to be rendezvous orders for the Migrant Fleet. And our long range reconnaissance probes have been recording massive amounts of geth fleet activity through the Mass Relays in the Perseus Veil."_

Shepard straightened up. "Do you think they're preparing for war?"

_"If not against the Reapers, then definitely against each other."_ Hackett fixed Shepard with a frank look. _"Right now, that's the last thing we need. If the Quarians attack the geth, then it could drive them back into the Reapers' arms. And that, would be_ very _bad news. The Quarians have the single largest fleet in the galaxy, we can't risk losing it because of their suicidal campaign against the geth."_

"What do you want me to do about it?" Shepard asked, not out of disrespect, but genuine curiosity.

_"Get to the Migrant Fleet as fast as you can, and do whatever it takes to keep another war from breaking out."_ Hackett ordered.

"And failing that?" Shepard proposed.

_"Then do whatever it takes to end it. Preferably with one or both of them on our side."_

Shepard sighed, but nodded her assent. "I'll try sir, but I've received summons from the Salarian Councilor. I can't go charging off to the Migrant Fleet just yet."

_"Then get it done, and get yourself to the Migrant Fleet ASAP."_ Hackett outlined. _"I'll be looking forward to your report, Hackett out."_

Hackett's hologram fizzled out of existence, and Shepard looked up. "Joker, set course for the Citadel."

_"Roger that,"_ The Pilot replied, _"ETA: Twelve hours."_

Shepard nodded (still quite aware Joker couldn't see her), and left the QEC behind as she entered the war room.

"Commander, Urdnot Wrex has begun sending troops to Palaven." Victus looked up from his holographic readout of a battlefield on Palaven. Garrus was by the Primarch's side, taking the information in as well. "You've held up your end of the bargain, so I will do the same. I'll begin sending troops to Earth immediately."

Shepard smiled, and gave the Primarch a handshake filled with gratitude. "What's next for you?"

"Most likely, I will be going back to the front lines." Victus stated. "With the krogan on our side, my reasons for being here are complete. What about you, Vakarian?"

Garrus shook his head. "Thank you, but no, Primarch. My place is with Shepard."

"I see." Victus nodded. "Well, there is much I still need to do before I take my leave, so I'll leave you to it. Once again, thank you, Shepard." And Victus stalked off to his temporary quarters, leaving just Shepard and Garrus.

Shepard leaned over the holographic projection of the Moment, and heaved a sigh.

"Shepard," Garrus approached her, "I'm sorry... About Mordin."

"...Yeah." Shepard despondently stared into the hologram. "He's not the first, and he's definitely not gonna be the last, but..."

"It still stings." Garrus finished. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Just last night." She replied. It wasn't a _lie_ , technically speaking.

"Then I guess the better question is; have you been getting _enough_ sleep?" Garrus corrected.

Damn him. "I'm Gallifreyan, I don't need as much sleep as most people."

"It doesn't mean you don't need it at all." Garrus pointed out. "We've got twelve hours 'til we hit the Citadel, use it."

Shepard shot the turian a look. "How'd you know we were going to the Citadel?"

"I'm just that good." Garrus snarked. "I'm serious though, get some sleep."

"Yes, sir, Doctor Vakarian, sir." Shepard mocked, moving to exit.

"Goodnight." Garrus called.

"Yeah, yeah." Shepard responded. She walked past the conference room, through the scanner guarded by the two marines, and into the elevator.

She hit the control to go up, and the elevator shuddered as it traveled up. The elevator dinged, and she walked out into her cabin. Shepard kicked off her boots, and walked down to her bed. Her head hit the pillow, and she quickly succumbed to sleep.

A few decks down from Shepard, deep within the labyrinthine corridors of the TARDIS, the Doctor sat in his drawing room, etching ink characters into yellowed paper, the pen he brandished moving far faster than any human hand could have moved it.

Knocking came from the far end of the room, and the heavy oak door creaked open. Susan slowly and quietly entered, trying not to disturb the elder Time Lord.

"Grandfather..." Susan approached. "It's been quite some time since the mission... Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" The Doctor looked up. "Oh, right, yes... I'm fine." Though it was clear from the redness in his eyes, and the hoarseness in his voice, that he was anything but.

"Grandfather," Susan leaned down, and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry... Were you and Mordin close?"

"No, no..." The Doctor forced out. "It's just... I'd been travelling on my own for some time, going from place to place, no real goal in mind, it's been some time since I took part in a war. The last time was..." The Doctor wasn't able to finish, and clamped his hand over his mouth. "There are species out there that'll tell you war is glorious, that death in battle and destroying your enemy brings honor... They're wrong."

"Mordin's death reminded you of all of that... didn't it?" Susan consoled.

"Yeah..." The Doctor nodded. "Mordin wasn't the first, I know, and he won't be the last, and yet... that only makes it worse. And in any case... I have to live with that."

"I think that's all any of us can do." She looked down at the ink-stained paper. "What are you writing?"

"Oh, this?" The Doctor looked down at the circular Gallifreyan staining the page. "Just some... thoughts."

Susan looked over, and chuckled slightly. "Grandfather, your handwriting is terrible!"

"Well... You know what they say about doctors." He tried to be funny, yet it was obvious it didn't reach his eyes.

"Grandfather," Susan picked up on his downtrodden mood, "Are you certain you're alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." The Doctor defended, stroking the lapels of his coat, before catching himself, and releasing them.

"You're lying." Susan called his bluff. "I know when you are."

"Susan, please, just..." The Doctor sighed. "Let it go. Please."

"...Okay." Susan granted. "But first, we're going to do something."

The Doctor frowned, surprised at her taking the reins from him. "Sorry, what?"

"I want to go on a trip." Susan crossed her arms. "Actually, you know what... I want to go on a whole tour."

"Susan, we can't-"

"Leave?" Susan cut him off. "I don't want to up an abandon it forever, but... This war is getting to you already, I can see it. You need to unwind." She smiled, gesturing her head out the door. "And TARDIS travel is great for that."

The Doctor found himself being pulled along by Susan's words. He didn't want to up and leave, and abandon the others to their fates, but... Well, the TARDIS _was_ a time machine. He'd been able to go and have a full three years of travel between leaving Rose in that alley and coming back to tell her it traveled in time. It wouldn't be hard to pull a similar trick a second time.

Instantly, the Doctor's mood did a one-eighty. The Time Lord smiled and sprung up from his chair with renewed vigor, dashing off to the console room, puling Susan along by her arm.

"Where to first!?" The Doctor excitedly yelled, hopping up the stairs, as he released his grip on Susan's arm. "The Festival of Offerings in the Rings of Akhaten! The Alignment of Exodor! The construction of the Star Roads! Or we could have tea with David Bowie!"

Susan gasped. "You know David Bowie!?"

"You're missing my point, Susan, the possibilities are endless!"

"How about…" Susan trailed off, looking over the console. She smiled widely, pointing at a button on the console. "This one?"

"The randomizer." The Doctor grinned. "Now you're talking."

The Doctor slammed his finger down on the button, and the light next to it toggled on, signaling that the randomizer was active. The Doctor madly darted around the console, throwing levers, flicking switches, and pressing even more buttons, before finally pulling back the dematerialization lever, sending the TARDIS hurtling off into the Time Vortex, and towards another adventure.


	46. Davros

On a world deep within the Milky Way, far from the Reaper War both in time and space, a thick grey mist descended upon a gravelly plain, as the distant sounds of explosions, gunfire, laser blasts, biplanes, and rockets filled the air, instilling a deep sense of dread in all who were caught in this alien battlefield.

And, at the heart of this distant battlefield, with its mix of technology from all eras, stood something that even the anachronistic combatants would find odd.

A big blue box, smack bang in the middle of a minefield.

"Careful, Susan." The Doctor directed, peeking his head out the door. "No telling where we've turned up now."

"Anything has to be better than revolutionary France." Susan retorted, stepping out after him. "Did you forget that the people _hated_ the upper class?"

"Okay, so, maybe it was a bad idea to say I was related to King Louis, but in my defense," The Doctor held up a finger, "I thought we landed on Kestis IV. The reenactments there are great fun. Entirely accurate," The Doctor straightened his bow tie nervously. "Well, save for the fact that they don't actually execute people."

"Well, at least we got out of there before anything too bad happened." Susan looked around. "Where has the TARDIS taken us now?"

The Doctor frowned, looking around at the devastated landscape around them. "I don't know." He admitted, squinting to try and see through the mist. "The problem with most planets in the universe is, after a while, they all start to blend into each other. There are five-thousand-twenty-three planets in the Milky Way alone that have landscapes similar to this, we could be on any one of them… Or it's a gravel quarry in Wales. I've landed in one a time or two."

Susan furrowed her brow, looking to the Doctor. "Does that happen often?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Enough. But," The Doctor stepped around carefully, gesturing around. "I don't think it's Earth. The atmospheric composition is off, I can taste it. We're somewhere similar to, but not quite Earth."

"What about the gravel?" Susan questioned, kicking around some with her foot. "Can we run a mineral analysis?"

"We'll never figure out where we are if we keep going back inside to check." The Doctor rhetorically berated, bending down to look at the rocks. "Besides, it's not gravel."

Susan frowned. "What is it, then?"

"Debris." The Doctor answered. "Traces of brick and mortar, concrete… Problem is, all of these are fairly common building materials on several planets across the universe. That doesn't tell us where we are."

"Come on, Grandfather, can't we just go and check the scanner?" Susan pleaded.

"Now where's the sense of adventure in that?" The Doctor rhetorically asked, looking up. "Although, I have to admit, this place does seem familiar…" He stared up into the cloud-choked sky, as a wooden biplane with laser guns attached to its sides flew overhead, firing at something in the distance. The Doctor frowned to himself. Twenty years running from a war, and here he was, finding himself in another one. "Come along, Susan." The Doctor guided, beginning to step back to the TARDIS. "There's nothing for us here."

"Somebody!" A young voice shouted from the distance. "Help me!"

"Or maybe there is," He grabbed onto her hand, "Come on!"

"Is someone out there!?" The voice called again. "Anyone!?"

"Yes, yes, hello! Over here!" The Doctor yelled in response, finally able to see the child through the foggy mist. He was surrounded by what looked like hands with eyes in their palms, sticking out of the ground. The Doctor didn't know precisely what they were but given that the boy was frozen in fear knowing what they were, the Time Lord assumed they were dangerous. "Here, watch out! I'm going to throw something to you, get ready to catch it!" The Time Lord procured his sonic screwdriver, wound up, and threw it into the mist, towards the child.

The boy, warned beforehand by the Doctor, was able to see the glowing tip of the screwdriver as it tumbled through the air, and caught it.

"Yes, that's better, hello!" The Doctor greeted, speaking normally. "The device in your hand is creating a sonic corridor so we can communicate without shouting. Never liked shouting, me personally, it's hell on the vocal cords. Tell me, if you can, what planet are we on?"

"…I don't understand." The boy admitted.

"I get it, it's a stupid question," The Doctor replied, "Just indulge me for a moment if you will."

The boy still looked confused. "It's… the homeworld. Just the homeworld."

"Planet called 'homeworld,' real original." The Doctor muttered to himself. "What about this war?" The Doctor spoke up. "Can you tell me what war this is?"

"It's just the War." The child responded.

"Yes, a very old one looking at all the different technologies, but _which_ war?" The Doctor elaborated.

"It's _The_ War." The boy repeated.

"First the homeworld, now the war, do you people have names like that for everything?" The Doctor rhetorically grumbled. "Ah, I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. Now then, are you scared?"

The boy looked confused. "What?"

"Being stuck there, are you scared?" The Doctor asked.

The boy swallowed and paused for a moment. "Yes."

"Good. Fear keeps you fast. I'm going to try and get you out of there, don't worry." The Doctor turned to Susan. "Get into the TARDIS, look in storeroom five for a Dalek gunstick attached to a grip. Hurry, go." Susan nodded and ran back into the Police Box, and the Doctor turned back to the child. "Don't worry, it'll just be a minute. I'll be here while we wait. What's your name?"

"My name?" The boy repeated.

"Yes, your name!" The Doctor replied. "I've already told you mine, it's only polite to respond!"

The child looked nervous at the prospect of sharing his name with a stranger, though that stranger was currently in the process of saving his life, though eventually he psyched himself up. "Davros."

The Doctor's face fell, and a deep-seated dread stabbed at his hearts.

"My name is Davros." Davros repeated.

"Well… Hello, Davros." The Doctor swallowed, trying to stay peppy in the situation. He had to focus on the child in front of him, not the crippled, deformed monster from the Doctor's memory. He was still in Shepard's world, not his own. This Davros could be different.

Behind him, the TARDIS doors slammed shut, and Susan came running out with the Dalek gunstick in hand.

"Here, Grandfather." Susan said, handing it over to the older Time Lord. Her brow furrowed, as she picked up on the Doctor's discomfort. "What is it?"

"Nothing," The Doctor replied, taking the gun from her. "Nothing." He pointed the gun in Davros's direction. "Be still!" The Doctor ordered, playing with settings on the beam. The Doctor took aim, and squeezed the trigger, the gunstick firing with a wide beam directed at the handmines coming out of the ground.

The mines, as they were all part of a single interconnected web, all twitched in unison, before erupting into a cloud of smoke and teal energy.

"There, see?" The Doctor handed the gun off to Susan. "'Armless." Yet the young Davros stood there locked in fear. "Don't worry, it's safe now, I promise."

Davros gingerly stepped over the rocks where the handmines used to be, clutching onto the sonic screwdriver like it was a lifeline.

"You saved my life…" Davros began. "Thank you."

The Doctor nodded. "You're very welcome." Though he was freaking out internally over the fact that he'd just saved a version of his nemesis, and the wickedest man to ever exist. "So, if you're this young, then that means we're on Skaro, in the height of the Thousand-Years War."

Davros furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

"Don't mind him," Susan poked the Doctor with her thumb. "He likes to ramble sometimes. My name is Susan." She smiled gently.

"Right, well," The Doctor clapped his hands together, "It was very pleasant meeting you. If you could just hand me this back, thanks." The Doctor took the screwdriver from Davros, "We can be on our way. Goodbye… Davros." The Doctor turned on his heel, heading for the TARDIS.

"Wait, Grandfather," Susan tried to stop him, "We can't just leave a child in a warzone!"

"This whole planet's a warzone now." The Doctor retorted, still marching for the Police Box. "There's nowhere safe for him. Come on." He pressed.

"Well, what about parents, or relatives?" Susan turned to the young Davros. "You do have people who take care of you, yes?"

"There's…" Davros looked down. "No one for me now."

"Is that why you were out here?" Susan questioned, and through the mist, she could see Davros nodding slowly. _'Poor boy.'_ Susan thought to herself. _'He's all on his own now.'_ "Grandfather-"

"Absolutely not!" The Doctor cut her off. "He made it out here on his own, I'm sure he can find a way back."

"The city was destroyed." Davros stated blankly, in a tone too grim for a child to possess.

"I'm sure there are others out there." The Doctor retorted. "Come along, Susan."

"But-"

"He is _not_ stepping foot into that TARDIS, clear!?" The Doctor boomed, frightening Susan, who had only ever seen her Grandfather get that way with his enemies. The Doctor sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Look, just… trust me on this. Please."

"…No." Susan crossed her arms.

The Doctor's eyes focused dangerously. "What?"

"I said no." Susan held steadfast.

The Doctor inhaled, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Well then, if you feel that way… You can stay with him."

Susan's face became marked with incredulous disbelief. "What?"

"I am not budging on this, Susan. I can't tell you why, but I am _not._ " The Doctor held strong himself.

"Grandfather, please…" Susan begged. "I will not abandon a child in the middle of a war, and you shouldn't either." Susan stepped close to him. "You fought in a war you know what it's like… You know no child should have to be subjected to it."

"Susan-"

"What if it were me?" Susan questioned.

"It isn't."

"But what if it _was?"_ Susan stressed.

The Doctor looked into Susan's big brown eyes, and the pleading look within them. He did find himself contemplating if it was her, that young and tiny, trapped in a place so hostile that not even the hardiest soldier could survive, never mind a child.

And the Doctor sighed.

"Fine." The Doctor granted. "Come on, we can get him to a nearby city in the TARDIS."

The Doctor pushed the doors open, and entered first, allowing Susan and Davros to follow behind him. Susan shut the doors, and Davros stared around the console room with wonder, never having quite seen anything like it.

"It's… It's bigger on the inside…" Davros breathed, walking slowly around the control console.

"Time And Relative Dimension In Space." The Doctor outlined disinterestedly. "TARDIS for short. Don't get too comfortable, this will only be a short hop." He warned, entering the co-ordinates into the console.

Davros wandered around the room curiously, as Susan went to go join her grandfather at the controls. Just as Davros had picked up a random bit of junk lying around, the TARDIS set into motion with a jolt, startling the child as the room began to vibrate more intensely.

"Now, let's see… Kaled city, two miles from here. Easy." The Doctor remarked.

And as though the universe itself was showing him up, the TARDIS began to rock with turbulence, as the console began to spark.

"Oh come on!" The Doctor yelled over the roar of the engines. "Of all the possible times…!"

"Grandfather," Susan yelled to him, "What's happening!?"

"We're being pulled through the time vortex!" The Doctor shouted, pulling the monitor in front of him. "No, no, no! We're heading back into the Reaper War!"

"The what!?" Davros shouted, clinging onto a guard rail for dear life.

"Don't worry about it!" The Doctor replied, going for the controls. "I'm trying to change course, but the controls aren't responding. Hang on!" He shouted, as they were all thrown to the floor by a sudden impact."

The three of them groaned, as the TARDIS settled.

"What… what was that?" Davros got to his feet.

"The fast-return switch got stuck." The Doctor answered. "We were sent back to the first destination programmed into its databanks."

"Which is?" Susan questioned.

"The Normandy." The Doctor answered. "Just after we left."

"…I don't understand." Davros pointed to the doors. "Are you meaning to tell me that we've traveled?"

"Yes." The Doctor frankly answered. "Don't worry though, you're about to get a second demonstration." The Doctor said, throwing the lever. The TARDIS's engines thudded, yet nothing happened. "Oh, come on…" He threw the lever again, and again, the TARDIS remained still. "The controls are jammed!" The Doctor wiggled them in frustration. "Don't do that, why are you doing that!?"

"What are they being jammed by?" Susan inquired, going to check them for herself.

"Themselves." The Doctor answered, leveling his frustrations at a switch. "She doesn't want us to take off again."

"What?" Susan scratched her head. "Why would she want that?"

"I don't know…" The Doctor looked over to Davros. "Oh, bother…"

"What?" Davros looked down at himself. "What?"

"She doesn't like Daleks…" The Doctor muttered to himself, quietly enough that the others couldn't hear him. "And I just brought their creator on board."

A banging suddenly came from the TARDIS doors.

"And now I'm going to have to explain a literal child to Shepard." The Doctor sighed to himself. "Susan?"

"Yes, Grandfather?"

"Next time I look like I'm beginning to listen to you, slap me."


	47. The Battle of the Citadel: Part One

The Doctor peeked his head out of the TARDIS doors, raising a confused eyebrow. "This isn't the Normandy…"

Indeed, it wasn't. Instead, they were on what looked to be the Citadel Presidium, the artificial sky glowing blue overhead. And there looked to be a lot of things on fire, as well as a sizable Cerberus presence.

"Oh… Hello." The Doctor sheepishly greeted, finding himself staring down the barrel of a Cerberus Centurion's gun.

"Step outside." The Centurion ordered with a gravelly voice filtered through a speaker. While the man was focused on the Doctor, the soldier missed the whirring slowly growing louder behind him, as a new combatant took aim.

"EXTERMINATE!" A Dalek yelled, blasting the Centurion with its main weapon.

The Centurion screamed in agony, his skeleton visible through his teal-illuminated flesh, before falling to the ground, dead. A Phantom tried to sneak up behind the Dalek and brought her sword down on the Dalek's eyestalk.

"MY VISION IS NOT IMPAIRED." The Dalek taunted the Phantom, before bringing its midsection around to face her. "EXTERMINATE!" The Phantom let out a pained yell, falling to the ground herself.

The Doctor stepped back towards the TARDIS, keeping the Dalek in sight, as the Dalek rotated around to view him.

"Doctor." The Dalek addressed.

The Doctor swallowed, as the TARDIS doors behind him opened. "Hello Dalek."

Davros breathed in wonder. "What is that?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this…" The Doctor shook his head. "But don't worry, it's just a Dalek.

The Dalek looked the other two who had emerged from the TARDIS up and down.

"It is not safe here." The Dalek informed, the lights on the top of its dome flashing as it vocalized. "Hostile infantry have taken control of strategically important sections of this station. I would advise you exfiltrate immediately."

"I would, but my TARDIS is having some problems." The Doctor pointed to the wooden box exterior.

"Scanning." The Dalek warned, looking at the box behind them.

"Wha-what, don't do, what!?" The Doctor fumbled, gesticulating madly.

"Scan complete." The Dalek announced. "Five-million seven-hundred-thirty-two-thousand four-hundred thirty-eight issues detected in TARDIS systems. I will assist with repairs; however, hostile elements must be purged from this location foremost."

"Good point," The Doctor granted, seeing the scattered destruction around the Presidium. "What exactly is the problem?"

"Enemy infiltrators have taken control of vital access points to this station." The Dalek reported. "All enemy troops must be cleared to make way for civilian evacuation efforts. Citadel Security teams are engaging enemy forces across this station, with support from Dalek units. Commander Shepard's team is currently undertaking a mission to evacuate the Salarian Councilor, Valern."

"Grandmother is here?" Susan asked of the Dalek. She turned to the Doctor. "That explains why we ended up here. The Normandy must be up in orbit, and the TARDIS must have overshot."

"Never mind that, how did Cerberus manage to take a station this large?" The Doctor inquired of the Dalek. "C-Sec is one of the largest standing security forces for a single settlement in the galaxy. I find it hard to believe that they're managing to give C-Sec this hard of a time on their own."

"Sleeper agents placed in positions of power, including Citadel Security, were able to throw local security forces into disarray, before a Cerberus fleet in orbit began launching a full attack on the station." The Dalek explained. "The Dalek Ambassador authorized use of Dalek troops to bolster the security forces on this station. The wards have been cleared of enemy troops. However, a significant concentration of them remain in the Presidium."

"Well then," The Doctor clasped his hands together, "Let's not keep mouthing off, we've got people to save."

"But this place is so large…" Davros looked out at the massive ring of the Presidium. "And there are only four of us. How could we help?"

"All that matters is that we try." The Doctor told the young Kaled. "And helping doesn't always mean killing, sometimes it means getting others to safety." The Doctor turned back to the silver and blue Dalek. "Shall we be off?"

The Dalek moved its eyestalk up and down in an approximation of a nod, and so the Doctor, joining one of his oldest enemies, went off into the Citadel together, as allies.

* * *

Liven was scared. The human soldiers had stormed the station like a demonic tidal wave, sweeping in and killing anything that moved. They weren't even targeting non-humans anymore, it was everyone. Human, Asari, Turian, Salarian… all of them, across the entire Citadel. She had been with her mother, when the nice little café they were suddenly at exploded, and the entire Presidium became the eye of a storm of bullets and fire.

Liven had been fortunate enough to get out of there quickly, her small size doing well to conceal the young Asari, as well as allowing her to gain purchase to areas that others could not. But the others… Her mother, her father… She didn't know if they had survived. All she could do was hope, hope that Cerberus wouldn't find her before C-Sec and the 'Daleks' drove away the evil humans.

Liven's story was but one of a hundred thousand occurring all over the station, as Cerberus attempted to gain a foothold in the galactic capital.

And at the heart of those thousands of stories, there was one. One very important story that would shape the battle to come.

* * *

Shepard looked out the window of the shuttle with a look of utter contempt, at the Cerberus troops attacking C-Sec. A squadron of Daleks flew by, shooting down a Cerberus gunship attempting to pursue the shuttle, sending it down in a blaze of blue-hot fire.

"EDI," She turned to the mech, "Status?"

"There is a sizable Cerberus presence on the station." EDI reported, staring blankly at something that wasn't there. "However, the Dalek saucer in orbit has engaged the Cerberus fleet. It is likely that all units on the station itself are now isolated."

"No backup for the bad guys." Garrus gave a Turian smile, popping a thermal clip into his sniper rifle. "Just what I like to hear."

"Oh yeah." James agreed. "Like shootin' fish in a barrel."

"I don't know what that means."

"Any sign of the Doctor?" Shepard inquired. The TARDIS had disappeared the moment the alert went out across the Normandy's decks warning the crew to prepare for combat, leaving Shepard confused and without a component of her team.

"Artron Energy spikes have been detected in the Presidium, close to Councilor Udina's office." EDI relayed.

"He's already in the thick of it." River shook her head. "And knowing him, he didn't bring any firepower."

"Is he alright?" Shepard requested.

"I can't say for certain." EDI admitted. "There are no outbound distress signals from his location, though C-Sec comm traffic in the area tells of an unarmed man, woman, and child assisting civilians still trapped in areas under Cerberus control. I'm assuming he's focused on evacuation efforts for now."

Shepard nodded. "Good. That means we can focus on the councilor."

Liara leaned forward in her seat. "Do you know what he wishes to talk to you about?"

"No clue." Shepard admitted. "All he said was that he needed to speak to me, personally, and that it was too sensitive to transmit over any channels, secure or otherwise."

"A wise decision." Javik grumbled. "The Reapers were able to obtain a great deal of tactical information from channels we believed were secure."

"Alright, ladies and gents!" Cortez called from the cockpit. "We're approaching C-Sec HQ, get set to come out swinging!"

At Cortez's energized warning, Shepard reached back to her weapons dock, and pulled the assault rifle from its place, going ahead and activating incendiary ammunition.

The hatch slid open, Shepard's eyes landed on the Cerberus soldiers, and she immediately opened fire upon the Cerberus troops swarming the pad. She jumped out first, the rest of the team following as the shuttle flew into the distance, and they pushed their way through the parking area, mowing down the Cerberus troops in the way. Distantly, the cries of 'exterminate' came with the distant screams of fallen Cerberus troops.

Running around the battlefield like a whirlwind, Shepard and her team dispatched Cerberus soldier after Cerberus soldier. Moving together as one, the team was a veritable storm of destruction, as they sent out a hellfire of bullets and abilities, all directed at the Cerberus troops.

Eventually, the last Cerberus trooper, an Engineer trying in vain to set up a turret, fell with a gasp, and the pad calmed for the most part, though the alarms and warnings of the C-Sec VI continued.

"Shepard!" A voice called, belonging to a slumped-over form by the door. "Shepard!"

"Commander Bailey?" Shepard recognized, rushing over to the man, crouching down by his side. "What happened?" She questioned, going to administer Medi-Gel on his wounds.

"Bastards shot me." Bailey grunted. "Don't worry, it looks worse than it is."

"What's the situation?" Shepard inquired, helping him up onto his feet slowly.

"One minute, everything was fine and dandy, next it's total war." Baily grunted, moving over to the door's control panel. "By the time we realized we were under attack, we were too late to stop it."

"They hit the Citadel that fast?" Shepard questioned, and Bailey nodded.

"That shouldn't be possible." Garrus said. "We were in a state of wartime preparedness, even if the sensor net around the Mass Relay went out, C-Sec should've been ready for a fight."

"They must've had moles in C-Sec." Bailey outlined, punching a code into the door panel. The panel flashed green, and the door slid open, allowing them access into C-Sec HQ proper. "And when I find out who…" Bailey grumbled.

"What about others?" Shepard inquired. "You looked like you were holding out well enough, could there be other C-Sec teams fighting?"

"Oh, most definitely." Bailey granted, moving to sit down in front of a console surrounded by broken class and tile. "But the network's down. They're all on their own. I can try to get a new secure channel set up, but the Daleks are the only coordinated fighting force left on the station besides Cerberus. Everybody else's flying blind."

"What about the Councilors?" Liara inquired. "Have they made it to safety?"

"They split up." Bailey informed, typing away at the console as he tried to get into the security systems. "Trying to draw fire off each other."

"Foolish." Javik stated. "That makes it more likely for them to be killed."

"You have a better plan, I'm all for it, four-eyes." Bailey retorted. "Heh, Cerberus left the network wide open… let's show 'em what they're dealing with."

"Can you find the Councilors?" Shepard inquired.

"I'll try, but- Hello, what do we have here…" Bailey furrowed his brow.

"What is it?" Shepard raised an eyebrow of her own.

"A waning from Councilor Valern." Bailey answered. "He's supposed to be meeting with the Executor. 'Be on guard, the likelihood of betrayal from within is high…'" Bailey relayed.

"Wait," Shepard held out a hand, "He was meeting with the Executor? Why?"

"Usually, it means someone big's about to be prosecuted." Bailey answered.

"How big?" Shepard questioned.

"Planetary leader big." Garrus answered for Bailey. "Think of it as a third-party judicial system for someone who'd normally be able to manipulate their own courts."

Bailey nodded. "Whoever it was. I bet they had Cerberus friends."

"Who could it be?" Shepard wondered.

"Could be anyone in a high enough position. Business moguls, diplomats… Hell, might even be another councilor." Bailey hypothesized. "The only person who knows the answer to that is the councilor."

"Good point." Shepard granted. "Where is he now?"

"He's probably still close to the Executor's office." Bailey answered. "Sensors are showing a lot of Cerberus troops in that area, but there's a squad of Daleks moving in that direction."

"We can't just stand here and wait for them to clean up Cerberus for us. By the time that happens, Valern could already be dead." Shepard stated. "Time to be proactive. Where am I headed?"

"The fastest route to the Executor's office is out the rear entrance and straight on." Bailey directed. "Can't miss it."

Shepard nodded, and gestured for her team to follow.

"And Shepard?" Bailey called after them. "Good luck."


	48. The Battle of the Citadel: Part Two

High above the Citadel, another battle was taking place. Any onlookers observing the battle, without the proper context for the situation, would see the battle fleet going up against the lone flying saucer, and assume that the crew of the saucer were in serious trouble.

Those onlookers would be wrong.

The Cerberus cruiser maneuvered into firing position, and let out a shot from its main cannon, directed solely at the bronze, disk-shaped vessel. The shot impacted, and the saucer rocked from the force of the hit.

"Direct hit." A Time Lord Crewman in gold and bronze armor spoke up, in the control center of the flying saucer. "No damage."

"Return fire." A Dalek situated on a plinth, outfitted in special red casing with an extra light on the top of its dome, ordered in a deep and booming voice. "Maximum Extermination!"

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Dalek crewmembers chanted in unison, their lights illuminating the entire space like a miniature sun.

On the exterior of the Dalek ship, weapon points on the bottom of rotating domes lit up green, and aqua beams of Z-Neutrino energy lanced out, directed at the Cerberus cruiser hanging out in the silvery-white nebula. The beams made contact, and the ship vanished in a blaze of aqua energy, leaving only the component atoms remaining.

"Success!" A Dalek reported.

"Excellent." The Dalek Commander boomed. "Target the other vessels and prepare for extermination!"

* * *

"I've got one!" A Cerberus trooper yelled, aiming his weapon at a Turian woman running through the Presidium.

She squawked in terror, as the trooper took aim, his finger beginning to squeeze the trigger on his rifle. A scream rang out, radiating throughout the space, drowning out the distant sounds of glass shattering and gunfire.

And the Cerberus trooper fell to the ground dead, his body growing dark as the energy from the Dalek gunstick left his body.

The Turian woman caught sight of the group behind the fallen trooper and flinched, as she prepared to meet the gods.

"Don't worry." The Doctor told her, approaching slowly. "We're not here to hurt you. I'm the Doctor, what's your name?"

"V-Vexis." The Turian woman stuttered.

"Pleasure to meet you, Vexis." The Doctor gently took her hand. "I'm sorry about my… acquaintance here. He's a bit trigger-happy for his own good." He gestured to the Dalek. "Are you okay, are you hurt?"

"N-No. I'm fine." Vexis pulled away her hand. "I-I don't understand what's happening."

"It's just a group of very bad people trying to ruin things for others, same old story." The Doctor told her.

"I haven't seen soldiers dressed like this before…" Vexis stuttered. "These are… This is Cerberus, isn't it? I thought they were something the Batarians made up to ruin the humans' reputation."

"They're real, and they're here." The Doctor nodded. "But don't worry, I have it on very good authority that they're going to be stopped."

"Cerberus forces in this sector have been exterminated." The Dalek reported, gliding back over to them.

The Doctor gave a satisfied nod to the Dalek, before turning back to Vexis. "Back the way I came from, there are a group of people like you being guarded by a team of Daleks."

"Grandfather!" Susan called. "We need to keep moving!"

"Right." The Doctor nodded. "Nice talking you, Vexis." He then turned, and joined the rest of his group, pressing forward.

"But, wait, you never said-" Vexis called after the receding forms. "Doctor who?"

* * *

"So, is this what you and her do?" Davros asked of the Doctor, stepping over a fallen body on the floor nonchalantly. "Go into warzones and rescue people?"

"Sometimes." The Doctor simply responded, turning the corner. "Mostly, we just travel."

"Travel?" Davros repeated, as the Doctor set to work breaking through a locked door.

"Yep." The Time Lord replied, entirely focused on the door.

"But where do you go?" Davros tilted his head.

"Oh, wherever we want." Susan smiled. "Anywhere in the universe, and at any point in history."

"A machine like that…" Davros breathed. His eyes steeled, and he frowned. "It can't possibly exist."

"It does." The Doctor retorted. The door slid open with a ding, and the group pressed on, with no destination in particular, only the objective of saving people.

"But doesn't it get tiring?" Davros asked. "Seeing all that death, destruction, war…"

The Doctor stopped in his tracks, looking down. "It does." And he set back into motion, acting like it hadn't happened at all.

"But it's not all just death, war, and destruction that are out there." Susan continued for her grandfather. "The universe is filled with so many wonderous things. Planets where the people are made of sentient song, entire biospheres that grow and die only to grow again in new and wilder ways the next morning, cities of crystal inhabited by beings of living light constantly communicating in a rainbow of colors that shouldn't exist but do… And so much more."

"And that's what you do. See the universe." Davros finished.

"All of time and space…" The Doctor looked out to the landscape of the Presidium, in the direction of where they had left the TARDIS. Despite the plumes of smoke and columns of fire, the Doctor felt an odd sense of calm overtaking him. "Everything that has ever happened, or ever will. All of it behind the doors of that big blue box…"

"It sounds amazing." Davros breathed.

"Oh yeah." The Doctor smiled. "That's the universe for you. Dangerous beyond measure, filled with horrors that would make even the most courageous cower in fear, with wonders to satiate desires subtle and gross… And it's beautiful. And that's what Susan and I do. We just travel, passing through, helping out when people need it."

Davros smiled. "Can I come with you?"

"You've got a homeworld to get back to." The Doctor responded, not unkindly. "I didn't mean to bring you all the way out here."

"Where is my home world?" Davros inquired, looking at the Time Lord.

"It's about, oh… two-hundred ninety-thousand light-years that way. We're in the big galaxy your smaller one orbits." The Doctor pointed across the Presidium. "But it might be a bit different than what you're used to. We're a little over fifty-thousand years into your future. That's the problem with TARDIS travel, hell of a jetlag."

"Wait…" Susan frowned. "Do you all feel that?"

"Feel wha-" The Doctor began to ask, but was cut off as the place began to shake. However, it wasn't just in the place where the Doctor and his companions were standing but judging by the way the water at the bottom of the Presidium moved, the entire station. Like a magnitude ten earthquake, the entire Citadel rocked back and forth.

"What was that!?" Davros fearfully asked once the shakes died off.

"I don't know, but if I didn't know any better, those felt like gravity waves…" The Doctor slowly spoke.

"What waves?" Davros inquired.

"They're exactly what they sound like. Waves of gravity, radiating out from a single point like a shockwave." The Doctor outlined. "Typically caused by the warp engines of an arriving ship. But waves like that… whatever engines that caused them would've had to be massive."

"How massive?" Susan inquired.

"Bigger than this entire station."

"But that's not possible." Susan stated. "The civilizations here don't use warp engines, and even if they did, they don't have the engineering capabilities to construct a vessel that large."

"So, that means…" Davros began fearfully.

The Doctor nodded gravely. "We have new arrivals."

* * *

Shepard coughed, pushing herself up off the floor. "Is everyone okay!?" She called, her voice ringing out through the office plaza she and her team had found themselves in.

Garrus looked over the rest of the team. "We're all good!"

"What the _hell_ was that?" James looked around in confusion.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it means we should probably get to the Councilor, double-time." Shepard ordered, running forward.

She turned the corner to the Executor's office and ran up the stairs to the locked door. She punched her Spectre code into the keypad, and the controls flashed green, allowing the team entry.

Shepard raised her assault rifle and did a sweep of the room. The Executor was dead, along with his bodyguards, but there looked to be no sign of Valern.

"Bailey, looks like Cerberus got the Executor and his bodyguards." Shepard radioed, yet no response came. "Bailey, come in. Damn." Shepard cursed, closing the channel. "EDI," She turned to the mechanical body, "What's happening?"

"I… don't know." EDI (quite worryingly) responded. "My link to the Normandy has been severed. The runtime in this body is now a separate entity to my systems in the ship."

Shepard looked up. "What the hell is going on?" She muttered to herself.

"Commander." Javik called, standing in front of the window overlooking the plaza.

"What is it?" Shepard inquired, moving to stand next to the Prothean.

Javik said nothing, merely pointing out the window at the desks on the ground floor. Shepard frowned, and was about to ask what the problem was, when a chair was pushed out of the way by absolutely nothing, and the air shimmered and flickered, revealing a salarian in formal robes.

"Councilor Valern." Shepard recognized. "At least he looks unharmed."

Valern moved to walk away from where he was standing, when a man in black armor, with swords of all things strapped to his back, dropped down from the rafters, landing threateningly in front of Valern. Valern staggered back fearfully, as the man in black approached slowly.

Shepard, wasting no time, drew her pistol, and fired a single shot at the window, shattering the glass. She dove through, tumbling through the air, down to the floor below.

Shepard landed on her feet, and aimed her pistol at the man in black, who jumped into the air with a somersault, landing behind Valern. Valern ran to Shepard's side, as the Commander fired off a shot at the man, who narrowly dodged it.

"Shepard." Valern addressed with a relieved sigh that concealed thinly veiled fear. "He's going to kill us all!"

"That remains to be seen." Shepard kept her pistol trained on the man. The man had his hand raised, poised to strike, but hadn't yet acted.

"I mean Udina." Valern elaborated, as the man in black's hands pulsed with biotic power. "He's the one who staged the coup! He's leading the others into a trap!"

Shepard frowned, as the rest of her team finally joined her side. "It's just you against all of us." Shepard threateningly pointed her gun at the man. "It's over."

The man looked warily between the members of Shepard's team. It seemed to him there was no way out. And unbeknownst to him, a Drell in a black coat slowly and silently approached from the side, leveling a pistol at the other assassin's temples.

The Cerberus assassin was fully surrounded.

Then, in what was either a stroke of luck of astronomical proportions, or a very well-timed distraction, the air in the plaza began to shimmer, and blue columns of light appeared in the area.

The columns solidified into tangible forms, metal suits of armor that hissed with hydraulic power, and clanged against the ground as they walked.

Shepard's team reacted to the columns instantly, turning their weapons to the alien lightshow in a defensive measure. The man in black, taking the moment the new arrivals had presented to him, threw down a smoke grenade, and even the Drell right next to him was blinded, as the man began to make his escape.

"Damn!" Shepard cursed. "Garrus, Thane, with me!" Shepard ordered, taking off after the would-be assassin. "The rest of you, get Valern out of here!" The two by Shepard's side followed her down a flight of stairs, to a skycar pad that seemed more intact than everything else there.

The Cerberus assassin jumped into a waiting car, hovering off the platform, and gave a taunting wave as his car sped off into the distance.

Shepard, not one to be bested so easily, dove into the C-Sec patrol car nearby, waiting for Thane and Garrus to get in, before she punched it, taking off after the assassin.

Back in the plaza, Shepard's team was in a panicked frenzy.

"What the hell are these things!?" James yelled, as his bullets seemed to just bounce off the thick metal armor.

"I don't know!" Liara replied, trying to catch some in a singularity.

"It's the Cybermen!" River yelled.

"The Last Prothean has been located." The Cyberman monotonously reported, as Shepard's team attempted to make a valiant stand. "All Cyber-Units, converge on this position."

And they were surrounded on all sides.


	49. The Battle of the Citadel: Part Three

"The Cybermen!" Susan yelled, frightened, as the Doctor pulled her and Davros down a hallway. They had become separated from the Dalek that had become their ally and were now frantically running to get out of the path of the metal soldiers. "What are they doing here!?"

"Javik!" The Doctor replied, ducking into a service duct. He waited for the oncoming Cyberman to pass them by, before emerging, and continuing forth. "They were attacking Eden Prime because he was there, remember? Cerberus attacks the Citadel, the Cybermen think 'Gee, who's the woman most likely to be called in to deal with it. Oh, Shepard!' And since Javik's a part of Shepard's team-"

"It's the perfect opportunity for them to strike, while the Citadel is already in disarray!" Susan finished.

"But why would they want this… Javik?" Davros questioned

"That's anyone's guess." The Doctor replied. "But whatever it is, it can't be good." He turned to Susan. "Come on. We need to get to them before the Cybermen do."

* * *

"Gentlemen, we're surrounded." Valern grimly stated, as for every Cyberman the group was able to take down, four more took its place.

"We're not going down without a fight!" River retorted, as the Cybermen closed in.

"It's hopeless!" Valern shouted. "If they want the Prothean, it is either hand him over, or we'll all die!"

"I concur." Javik himself agreed. "If they are seeking me, it is best if I simply go along."

"Don't be like that!" A new voice entered into the conversation. "Stand still, this is gonna make a helluva mess!"

A resounding pop rang throughout the plaza, and a whirlwind of shining glitter descended upon them all. The Cybermen, who had been implacable just a moment ago, began to make choking noises, as the mechanical respirators in their chests began to clog with the substance. One by one, each Cyberman fell to the ground, dead.

Once the glittery substance in the air cleared, and the plaza became calm, the team could see their mysterious rescuer, standing above the bodies of the Cybermen. She had a thick mop of shoulder-length red hair, green eyes, and freckles. She was wearing a leather jacket with red stripes on it, a simple white V-neck, plain jeans, and a ring on her left hand, but everyone's eyes were drawn to the gigantic weapon in her hands.

"Damn." James whistled. "The hell kind of gun was that?"

"Glittergun." The woman explained for them as she approached. "Shoots clouds of gold dust, clogs the Cybermen's respirators right up. Never go up against a Cyber-Legion without one."

"Your assistance is appreciated." Javik spoke up. "But you would be…?"

"Jane Smith." The woman said. "But you can call me the Usher."

"Usher?" Liara repeated. "What sort of name is that?"

"The one I give out when I don't want to use my real one." The Usher retorted, turning around on her heel, walking back through the plaza. She stopped and looked back at them. "Well, what are you lot just standing there for? We've got to get our Prothean friend out of here, the Cybermen are looking for him!"

The members of the group looked to each other confusedly, before James made the decision to follow after the mysterious woman.

"Who are you?" James asked, as the Usher led them down a hallway.

"I told you, the Usher." She answered, leading them through a door that they could've sworn had been locked down before.

"Yes, but right after that, you said that it was the name you used when you didn't want to give out your real one." James remembered.

"Very perceptive, well done." She complimented, ushering them into an elevator.

"So, are you going to give us a proper answer?" James inquired, as the Usher hit the button to go up.

"Nope!"

James sighed, shaking his head. "You sound just like the Doctor… Wait a second. The Usher, the Doctor… You're another Time Lord, aren't you?"

The Usher grinned. "And the penny drops. Quick hop out into the past to set some things up, I told myself. Next thing I know, I'm in the heart of a Cyber-Invasion." She shook her head as the elevator came to a stop with a ding. The door slid open, and the Usher took point out into the hallway. "Come on, it's this way."

"What is?" Liara questioned.

"Come on, I'm a Time Lord, what are Time Lords known for having?" The Usher questioned rhetorically.

"TARDISes." EDI finished.

"Yep! Mine's just 'round the corner."

"Invasion?" Valern parroted. "Did you say invasion? You did say invasion, didn't you?"

"Yep!" The Usher cheerfully replied. Her expression grew serious. "It's not just this section of the station the Cyberman have invaded, the entire Citadel's under assault."

"But why?" River questioned. "They're going after Javik, why attack everything else?"

"The Cybermen are driven by the compulsion to make other lifeforms like themselves. They must've figured; 'Hey, while we're going after this Prothean, why not take advantage of all this death and destruction these other morons have caused, and get ourselves from free upgrade stock?'" The Usher outlined, shaking her head. "But don't worry, I have a plan to stop them."

"Which is?" James raised an eyebrow.

"You guys!" She pointed. "Well, most of you guys. Not that one." She corrected, looking at Valern with disdain. The Usher led them around another corner, smiling widely once she saw the object at the end. "And my TARDIS is still here! Can't say I wasn't worried… She has a bad habit of getting separated from me at the most inopportune moments."

James stopped, looking at the Usher's TARDIS with a raised eyebrow. "Are all TARDISes supposed to look like… 'Police Boxes?'"

"Nah, just the really good ones." She smiled.

"It's the wrong colour." River pointed out.

"Oi, no it's not!"

"Yes, it is." River shot back. "This one's red. Police Boxes were blue."

"They had red Police Boxes!" The Usher defended, going to open the door. "Now, we could stand here talking all day about design preferences, or we could shut up and get in."

A distant laser blast and the cries off 'Delete!' reverberated throughout the hallway.

"Say no more." Valern was first to reply, pushing his way into the red Police Box. The rest of the group followed his lead, and the Usher was in last, the wooden door slamming shut behind her.

For those who had seen the inside of the Doctor's TARDIS, they were taken aback, seeing the clean, sterile white interior, and the brightly lit roundels on the wall, as opposed to the aged, grey, and dim look of the TARDIS they were familiar with.

"Just give me a second to engage the doors…" The Usher outlined, as the two large metal doors closed shut with a whirr. She flicked a lever, and the time rotor engaged, rising and falling slowly up and down. "There. We've entered temporal orbit."

"Yeah, we're not going to end up in the dark ages, are we?" James inquired.

The Usher chuckled. "No, no. Unlike the Doctor, I passed my piloting tests. Without having to retake them."

"You know the Doctor?" River inquired. She narrowed her eyes. "How well?"

"Well enough." The Usher shrugged. "Well, enough to know that he passed his test with a fifty-three. _On the third try."_ She shook her head.

"That's great and all," River said in a tone implying that she just didn't care. "But what's this plan of yours?"

"Right, for the Cybermen." The Usher flipped a switch on the console, and shutters covering a large screen on the wall slid open, showing a view of the nebula surrounding the Citadel.

"What the fuck…" James breathed, viewing the massive ship next to the Citadel.

The Citadel was but a pinprick, a fly compared to the enormous vessel that dwarfed it. The ship was long and cylindrical, rather like a can of Red Bull, James thought. A single massive engine stuck out of the back, though the rest of the vessel's surfaces were smooth and uniform, there were not even any windows dotted anywhere on the exterior.

"That is the Cybership." The Usher reported. "The mobile homeworld dreadnought of the Cybermen. Four-hundred kilometers long, one-hundred kilometers in diameter, with a little over a thousand decks."

"With a ship that size… They could take every person on the Citadel." Liara breathed with horror.

The Usher nodded. "They can. They will take every last person left on the Citadel and upgrade them into Cybermen. Unless, of course, we stop them."

"But there are only six of us." EDI looked between each member of the group. "How can we expect to take on a force that size?"

The Usher grinned and flicked a switch on her TARDIS's console. In a split second, some of the roundels lining the walls flipped open, revealing compartments with assorted weapons inside.

"It looks similar to the Dalek Gunstick." Liara commented, taking one for herself.

"It is." The Usher nodded. "Not just in design, they are actual Dalek weapons. And the one thing other than glitterguns that can blow a Cyberman wide open."

"Okay…" James picked one up. "It's great to have guns that can actually kill these things, but how are we going to get in? I mean, we can't just knock on the front door."

"Ah, but somebody is knocking." The Usher gestured to the screen, as the tiny Dalek ship began to pepper the Cybership with weapons fire. "And that's our cue!" She threw a lever on the console, and her TARDIS began to rock, as it materialized in the heart of the invasion force.

* * *

" _Shepard!"_ Baliey radioed in a panic. _"Shepard, can you read me!?"_

"I hear you loud and clear, Bailey." Shepard responded, behind the wheel of the car as it flew along. "What's the situation down there?"

" _It's absolute chaos!"_ Bailey responded. _"The Cybermen are abducting civilians and C-Sec alike, the Daleks are too caught up fighting them to take care of Cerberus, Cerberus is killing anything that moves, and everybody else is caught in the crossfire!"_

"Damnit." Shepard slammed her hands on the dash. "This whole day's going to shit. What about the Council?"

" _Hang on… I've got a fix, sending it to your car now."_ Sure enough, the map on the dash flashed with a green dot, showing them headed for a shuttlepad not far from where Shepard was at the moment.

"Thanks Bailey, we're almost to their position." Shepard responded. Just as the Commander was beginning to feel a ray of hope in the whole messed up situation she found herself in, it was stamped out when the Cerberus assassin, the same man in black from before, jumped down from an outcropping, landing on the car.

Letting her instincts take control, Shepard grasped onto her pistol and fired into the glass, as the man ran over the top of the car towards the back. Shepard sent the holographic steering wheel over to Garrus and popped the hatch, leaning out of the side to target the assassin.

Shepard unloaded three shots. The man deflected all of them with a biotic barrier. He brought his sword down where the propulsion systems were, and the car sparked as its engine began to make the most unholy grinding noise Shepard had ever heard.

"Crap!" Garrus yelled, trying to keep the car aloft.

The man let out one more cocky smile, as another car pulled up alongside them. The car's hatch opened, revealing a Cerberus Phantom behind the controls. Shepard, trying to hang on as the car dove, wasn't able to get off any more shots, and was forced to watch as the assassin jumped into the waiting car.

The assassin's car passed by a squadron of Dalek Arial Units, but as the Daleks had flagged the cars' design as belonging to civilians, the Daleks let the car fly by, and by extension, let the assassin escape into the distance.

"Shepard, get inside!" Thane ordered. "Brace yourself!"

The hatch sealed shut with a hiss, and Shepard grasped on tightly to the handles on the side of her seat.

Like she had said before. The whole day was going to shit.


	50. The Battle of the Citadel: Part Four

"Hey." Sergeant Robinson said to the soldier next to him.

"Yeah?" Lieutenant Miller asked.

"You ever think about getting out of Cerberus?" Robinson wondered.

"What kind of question is that?" Miller spat.

"An actual one." Robinson retorted. "Ever since we joined up, we've been called terrorists, shot at, blown up, and compared to _literal Hitler._ I don't know about you man, but the only reason I joined up with Cerberus was because they paid better."

"Yep… Yep…" Miller nodded. "I mean, I'm not a racist, but-"

"Stop it right there." Robinson shut down. "If you say, 'I'm not a racist' and follow it up with but, that usually means you're about to say something incredibly fucking racist."

"All I was about to say was that Cerberus pays good." Miller stated.

"Oh."

"Yeah, think before you rip others a new one." Miller stated. "…But yeah, aliens are pretty fuckin' bad."

"Oh, damnit Miller." Robinson shook his head. "You know, every time I think 'oh, this guy isn't so bad' you find a new way of- Hey, you hear that?"

The two Cerberus troops were drowned out by the screeching of a skycar's failing engines, as the twisted skeleton of the C-Sec car came down on both of them.

The hatch popped open with a hiss, and the three occupants came tumbling out, wafting away smoke with their hands.

"Everybody okay?" Shepard coughed.

"I'm fine, barely." Garrus responded.

"I am unharmed." Thane reported.

Shepard nodded in satisfaction and examined the area. She caught sight of the two troopers crushed under the weight of the car and flinched.

"Damn. I'm so sorry…" She apologized to them. What a horrible way to go, she thought.

" _Shepard,"_ Bailey radioed, _"My instruments show you've stopped. What's wrong?"_

"I'm on foot now." Shepard reported. "Any word on the Council?"

" _Dalek patrols are up in that area, but that's mostly in response to the increase in Cyberman activity."_ Bailey reported. _"But it looks like the Councilors themselves are fine."_

"Where are they going?" Shepard questioned, beginning to move through the Presidium.

" _They're headed towards the shuttlepad above Shalmar Plaza."_ Bailey informed.

Shepard's eyes flicked over to a map kiosk. She looked on the directory and committed it to memory. "I'm close, but I don't know if I can get close to them before that assassin catch up. Can you get in contact with the Daleks, get them to divert a team?"

" _That's a negative. Cybermen are swamping the station. Every last Dalek we have is busy stemming the tide. Sorry, Shepard, you're on your own down there."_

Shepard cursed under her breath. "Alright. We're on our way to their position." Shepard reported, giving Thane and Garrus the order to follow. "Has there been any word from the rest of my team?"

" _They and Valern dropped off the sensors shortly after you took off after that assassin."_ Bailey reported, as the three opened fire on an incoming group of Cerberus troops.

"Are they-"

" _They're not dead, I don't think."_ Bailey countered. _"The sensors picked up a spike in Artron Energy readings from that area before they vanished."_

"Then that means they're in a TARDIS." Shepard breathed a sigh of relief, as Thane threw a Centurion up into the air with his biotics. "Probably the Doctor going to deal with the Cybermen. That means we're free to focus on the Council. Keep me posted, Bailey, Shepard out."

"So, back into the fire." Thane remarked. "I must admit, when I woke up in the hospital this morning, I didn't expect to be fighting alongside you again."

"Good to see you too, Thane." Garrus replied.

"So, Thane," Shepard began, jumping a gap from one platform to the other, "How the hell did you know the Councilor was in trouble? And where he was?"

"There was an attack, it was obvious the Councilors were in danger." Thane retorted, taking down a Phantom with a headshot. "As for where he was, I was an assassin, I know how to find people who don't want to be found."

"Yeah, speaking of assassins, you recognize that guy with the sword?" Garrus inquired, taking down a Centurion from across the Presidium.

"No." Thane answered. "Why?"

"I thought you assassins were all part of some super-secret assassin club." Garrus replied.

"Don't be ridiculous." Thane berated, throwing a warp at an approaching Phantom.

"Yeah… That was kind of a stupid idea, wasn't it?"

"It's the Bounty Hunters who have the super-secret guild."

A Phantom, who had gotten dangerously close to the Commander, suddenly had her head blasted off by a shot from Thane.

"Thanks." Shepard offered, as they continued through the plaza.

"Are these guys seriously using _swords?"_ Garrus pointed out, stepping over one of the blades as they continued. "Seems awfully impractical going up against a gun."

"Any weapon can be deadly." Thane pointed out. "As long as one possesses the right knowledge."

"Come on," Shepard called, leading them through an access tunnel. "The plaza's this way."

* * *

"Where are they coming from?" Davros fearfully asked, watching group after group of Cybermen teleport to the ground in columns of blue light.

"A ship up in orbit, probably." The Doctor explained, watching the Cybermen march past. "That was the source of those gravity waves we felt. The ship dropping into the system out of warp."

"Well, what do we do?" Susan inquired.

"We should get Davros back to the TARDIS." The Doctor outlined. "If he gets harmed here, it could cause irreparable damage to history." The Time Lord charged out of the hiding spot they were in, and ran across the plaza, dodging the Cybermen's patrols

"What about the Cybermen?" Susan questioned. "Why are they going after Javik? Like you said, they must want him for something, if we can figure out what for, maybe we can put a stop to it."

"That was on my list." The Doctor defended. "The Cybermen are all part of one interconnected network, if we can take down one, we can get it to tell us what it knows."

"Great, let's do it." Susan said.

"Oh, no, no, no. Absolutely not!" The Doctor tried to shut her down.

"Now, what could take down a Cyberman without destroying it completely…?" Susan wondered, ignoring her Grandfather's ramblings.

"A space station like this has to have power conduits of some sort." Davros theorized. "Perhaps an electric shock?"

"Oh yes, the Cybermen's exteriors are primarily metal, very little rubber to be found." Susan smiled. "I like the way you think."

Davros shrugged with a blush.

"Hey, hey," The Doctor gesticulated madly. "We are not going to do this!"

Susan and Davros glanced at each other.

* * *

"Patrol 74656 reporting." The Cyberman monotonously spoke, marching back and forth over the paved tile floors of the Presidium. "No hostile forces detected."

" _Acknowledged."_ The Cyber-Controller responded. _"Reallocate resources for life-form capture and conversion."_

"Acknowledged." The Cyberman replied. "Allocating resources for life-form capture."

"Oi, tin man!" A voice shouted to the Cyberman's left. "Over here!"

"Life-form detected." The Cyberman announced, turning to follow. "Initiating pursuit."

The figure in the long coat turned the corner into a hallway, and the Cyberman followed suit. As the Cyberman stepped into a section of the hallway that looked more dilapidated than the rest, the target shouted something, and the Cyberman's vision went black.

* * *

The Cyberman screamed as its emotional inhibitor went offline, and it fell to the ground with a clang, dead.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into that." The Doctor directed to Susan, shaking his head. "That was stupid."

"Hey, if it's stupid and it works, it isn't stupid." Susan replied, going to step over the Cyberman. The Doctor shook his head one last time, and followed suit, gently pushing Susan out of the way.

"We just need the head." The Doctor stated, taking the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "This will only take a second." He reported, setting to work.

"Wow…" Davros leaned over the inert Cyberman. "Look at it. Those cables… They look like muscle."

"They are muscle." The Doctor replied, moving the screwdriver to a different part. "Well, synthetic muscle. The Cybermen aren't robots, they're cyborgs. Living things. They just happen to be made of metal is all. There's a whole artificial circulatory, respiratory, and nervous system that links up to the brain."

Davros frowned. "But if they're just brains inhabiting a metal suit… Wouldn't that be incredibly painful?"

The Doctor nodded sadly. "It is. It's why they have the emotional inhibitors. Some of them just wouldn't be able to handle their own existence otherwise. Of course," The Doctor continued, moving onto the final section. "No emotions at all sounds like a fine trade-off, but that means they've stagnated completely. No love, no pride, no hate, no fear… They might as well be robots. There's no reason to go on living if all you're going to do is act like an automaton." The Doctor finished, as the Cyberman's popped off. "There we go! Now, let's get back to the TARDIS and see what we can get out of this guy…"

* * *

The door to the Usher's TARDIS opened with a wooden creak, the woman taking point out into the Cybership first, the Dalek gunstick clutched protectively at her side.

"We're clear." She called into her ship, and so the others emerged as well. They were all wearing breathing masks, at the insistence of the woman, as apparently, the atmosphere inside was toxic.

"What is this place?" James questioned, looking around at the thick smog clouding his vision. "It looks… almost like a town."

"That's because it was." The Usher answered. "This thing used to be a colony ship from a planet called Mondas. But over time, the inhabitants of this ship built up technology and infrastructure, and so the entire thing became choked with a smog so thick, that everyone was beginning to die a slow death. The people here were trying to survive their own polluted mess, and instead of modifying their ways to suit themselves, they modified themselves to suit their ways. And so, the Cybermen were born." The woman looked down at what appeared to be a sonic screwdriver, and began to march off in one direction, the others following behind her.

"But if the whole ship is like this," Liara began, raising an eyebrow, "What's going to happen to the people taken from the Citadel?"

"Oh, they'll be fine. Well, aside from the Cyber-Conversion." The Usher digressed. She shook her head. "Anyway, not all of the ship is like this, not anymore at least. The areas meant to house pre-upgraded specimens have atmospheres safe to breathe."

"And not the rest of it?" James frowned.

"It would most likely be considered a waste of resources or effort." EDI hypothesized. "No organic lifeforms would be intended to access this area of the ship under normal circumstances. Resource allocation is likely also the reason why they have not updated this area of the ship."

"Where are we now?" Javik questioned.

"In the engineering sections, close to the bottom of the ship." The Usher explained, leading the group down an abandoned brick path. "The engineering room should be right-" She pulled down an old rickety brick wall. "Here! They'll never expect us to go in through the back entrance."

"Why is there a door behind a random brick wall?" James questioned.

"It's not random, it was bricked off on purpose. Back in the old days, they didn't want anyone getting in this way." The Usher ran her sonic screwdriver, a long silver rod with a red, bullet shaped emitter surrounded by a ring, over the seam of the door. The door groaned a moment later, sliding open slowly as it had not been used in centuries. "Open sesame." The Usher smiled, stowing her screwdriver in her jacket. "Come on." She guided, leading the group into the engineering control room.

The moment the group stepped inside, every Cyberman in the place turned to face them.

"Alert, intruders detected in-"

The Cyberman was cut off by a blast of energy from the Usher's weapon. The rest of the Cybermen became poised to fight, as the rest of the team opened fire with their own gunsticks, causing the Cybermen to fall one by one.

"See?" The Usher smiled once the last Cyberman fell. "Easy-peasy." And she began stepping over the bodies, heading straight for the main control terminal.

"What is the purpose of us being here?" Javik questioned, as the Usher set to work.

"Well, I'm going to set the warp engines to explode." The Usher answered, typing away.

"What!?" James shouted. "Will we still be here when it blows!?"

"Don't be daft." The Usher snorted. " _Of course_ we'll be here when it blows."

"But what about the people?" Liara questioned.

"I can set the teleport systems to send back all of the people to where they had been taken from originally." The Usher answered. "Really, it's very simple, do try to keep up."

"May I ask; how are you going to do that, set the engines to explode, while procuring us a way out of here?" EDI asked.

"Oh, did I forget to mention?" The Usher grinned wildly, an expression that wouldn't be out of place on the Doctor's face. "I'm brilliant!"

The doors on the other side of the engine room began to clang, as the Cybermen tried forcing their way inside.

"And that would be the 'ruin the Usher's fun' squad." The woman rolled her eyes. "Everyone, get ready for the fight of your lives!" She warned. "The entire Citadel is depending on us!"

James sighed, as he and the others leveled their weapons at the door. "Right. No pressure."

"That's the spirit!"


	51. The Battle of the Citadel: Part Five

Landing with a clang of metal-on-metal, Shepard looked up into the elevator shaft above, as Garrus and Thane jumped onto the top of the elevator car alongside her. If they were in the right shaft, the shuttlepad was directly above, and with any luck, the rest of the Council.

" _Stand by, Shepard._ " Bailey radioed. _"I'm sending you up now."_

Shepard, alerted by Bailey's warning, braced herself as the elevator shuttered, beginning the speedy climb up the shaft.

"Any word on the assassin?" Shepard replied, as the dim emergency lights in the shaft sped by, down into the darkness below.

" _He's trying his best, but I'm making his elevator stop on every floor."_

"Heh!" Shepard was able to find at least a little bit of humor in the situation, at least. "Nice."

"Shepard," Thane called, "Look." He pointed, directing the Commander's attention to the adjacent tracks.

Moving up just ahead of them was the assassin's elevator, the sides of the lift sparking as the occupants inside tried to override the brakes.

"I see him." Shepard alerted Bailey.

" _There are power conduits on the bottom. Kill those and it'll stall!"_

Shepard nodded and drew her shotgun, firing off two shots, one into each conduit. The metal boxes sparked as the elevator groaned, and lost momentum.

"That was…" Thane looked over the edge. "Deceptively easy."

"Oh God, I've just looked down." Garrus squawked. "I do not recommend it."

"Do not worry, Garrus." Thane told the Turian. "If you fall, it won't hurt. Much."

"Oh, thanks."

" _Shepard, you've got incoming!"_ Bailey warned.

An elevator car descended from above, passing the three by. As it zoomed past, kicking up the wind, a team of three Phantoms jumped off the roof of the lift, onto the roof of Shepard's elevator.

Thane was the first to react, using his biotics to throw one of the Phantoms off the car. Shepard, able to take advantage of the extremely close quarters, blasted the next Phantom with the shotgun, sending her tumbling down in a mist of red liquid and fire. Garrus was last, and fired off a concussive shot that sent the last Phantom flying across the shaft, into the back wall with a clang, before plummeting down into the darkness.

"I think that's all of them." Shepard said, while looking up into the shaft just to be safe.

" _Shepard, bad news."_

The Commander groaned. "Is there any other kind?"

" _Your assassin jumped onto another elevator and has overridden my controls."_ Bailey reported. _"I can't stop him."_

"Shepard." Thane caught her attention once more, nodding at an elevator up ahead.

Shepard groaned again. "We don't have time for this." She grumbled, shooting out the conduits underneath that one.

"Ha!" Garrus chuckled. "Nice shootin' tex."

"You know that phrase, but not the meaning of 'fish in a barrel?'" Thane questioned.

"Not the time, you two." Shepard chastised, as their elevator came up on another car, one that was beginning to slow down. "That's them, I bet. Get ready to jump!"

"Across an elevator shaft!?" Garrus questioned.

"I've done much worse in my time." Thane responded, jumping across first. He landed like a cat, upright and making too little noise for a being of his size.

Shepard followed, landing in much of the same way.

Garrus shook his head, but swallowed his perfectly reasonable unease, and leapt across. Garrus landed on his torso with a loud clang, and not even a second later, gunshots sprang out from the inside of the elevator, up at the three would-be rescuers.

"Crap!" Garrus tried to dodge, as the elevator finally came to a halt. Garrus turned to fix Shepard with a glare, as she went to open the ceiling hatch. "Next time we do something like that, you're going last."

Shepard rolled her eyes as she pulled the metal trapdoor open, jumping down inside, followed by the two. The three sprinted out of the elevator into the hallway, towards the access onto the shuttlepad.

Through the open door, Shepard could see the burning-out husk of a shuttle, and Councilors Tevos, Sparatus, and Udina, with Kaiden Alenko by their side, looking over the wreck with thinly-veiled fear.

"Damn it!" Kaiden cursed. "They hit the shuttle, everyone back to the elevator!" He ordered, turning back around.

Shepard walked forward carefully, her weapon raised at Udina, and Kaidan instantly brought up his own weapon, making Shepard stop in her tracks, even as Garrus sealed the door behind them.

"Shepard!?" Kaidan's eyebrows shot up. "What the hell are you doing here!?"

Udina lowered his hands, eyebrows knitting together as he thought of what to say. "She's here to block our escape."

"Alenko… You don't know what you're doing." Shepard warned, keeping the weapon trained on Udina. "Put the gun down. Please."

Kaidan frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Not while you're pointing a gun at an elected official."

Shepard looked into his eyes.

"What are you waiting for, Spectre Alenko!?" Udina sneered, "Take her down!"

"Just calm down!" Kaiden retorted. "I'm handling it."

"Alenko…" Shepard pleaded. "Please. Get out of the way."

"You know I can't do that." Kaidan retorted.

"Alenko… I don't deserve your trust." Shepard began. "Even after all we've been through, you know what went down between me and Cerberus, and you can't trust me because of it. I understand and respect that. But I'm not asking you to trust me," Shepard leveled with him. "I'm asking you to trust the Alliance. The ones who put you in that uniform. Kaidan… Please. Udina's the one responsible for the coup."

Kaidan swallowed. "You know for certain?"

"I swear on…" Shepard breathed in. "The night before Ilos."

"This is ridiculous." Udina scoffed. "You can't possibly-"

Kaidan turned on his heel, pointing his gun at the older man. "Councilor, step away from the console."

Udina's face twisted with rage. "To hell with this." He began to type on the console anyway, attempting to remotely override the door back inside.

Tevos, ever the diplomat, attempted to place a gentle hand on Udina's shoulder. For her efforts, she was rewarded with a shove to the ground, and a gun in her face.

With the last proof that Udina was truly out to get them, Kaidan took the shot. And Udina fell to the ground limply with a grunt, dead.

Kaidan sighed, looking at the inert body with a grimace, as he helped Tevos back up.

"Kaidan?" Shepard stepped close from behind.

"It's fine." Kaidan replied. He looked down sadly for a moment, before turning around. "We need to get out of here."

Shepard nodded in agreement.

"The door!" Sparatus pointed, as sparks began to shoot out from the center seam.

"Get behind us!" Kaidan ordered, leveling his pistol at the door, a move that was mirrored by Shepard.

"Don't be Cybermen…" Shepard prayed. "Don't be Cybermen."

Shepard's prayers were, for the first time in a very long time, answered, when the door slid open revealing the forms of Commander Bailey and a team of C-sec guards.

"Bailey." Shepard let out the relieved sigh, placing her pistol back in its holster.

"Came as fast as I could Shepard." Bailey outlined, stepping to get closer. "Looks like you, uh…" He looked at Udina's corpse with a grimace. "Took care of things."

"Then Shepard was telling the truth." Tevos stepped forward. "Udina was planning to betray us. But where is Cerberus?"

"Cerberus was right here." Bailey pointed back into the hallway. "But they caught wind that we were coming and beat feet into the Keeper tunnels. I'll say it plain: Shepard just saved the lot of you."

"Then you have saved my life twice now, Shepard." Sparatus approached the woman. "I owe you both a personal debt of gratitude, and one on behalf of the Turian Hierarchy."

They were all blasted back slightly as a weak shockwave passed through them

"Don't thank me just yet." Shepard replied. "Cerberus may be dealt with, but the Daleks and the Cybermen are still having their deathmatch." She turned to Bailey. "Is there somewhere safe we can take them?"

Bailey nodded. "There's a bunker not far from here, for VIPs and the like. Come on, it's this way."

Shepard nodded, and she and the rest of those with weapons drew them, letting Bailey take the lead.

* * *

"And if we just bypass the deception generator…" The Doctor plugged one last wire from the Cyberman head into the TARDIS console. "There! We're live!"

"Warning…" The Cyberman head glitched and stuttered. "System operating at minimal capacity. Se-Severe damage detected."

"I'm sure it's fine, don't lose your head over it." The Doctor replied, looking to Susan and Davros with a grin. Both looked at him, deadpan. He rolled his eyes, letting the smile drop, and he turned back to the Cyberman. "Listen, you lot are going after a friend of mine. You should know, that's a very bad thing to do as far as I'm concerned…"

"Query not understood. Please restate query." The Cyberman head prompted.

"Well, that's computers for you. Smartest idiots that've ever existed." The Doctor sighed. "Javik, the Prothean recovered from Eden Prime, you lot seemed awfully concerned to capture him. Why?"

"The Last Prothean holds strategically important information." The Cyberman head informed.

"Finally, making some headway." His eyes shot over to Susan and Davros. "Come on, that was a good one, wasn't it?"

Susan shook her head. "Too easy."

"Whatever." He looked back to the disembodied head. "So, Javik has intel the Cybermen are interested in, eh? What's that then? Weapons? It's always weapons with you lot…"

"The location of Mondas." The Cyberman head replied.

The Doctor's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Mondas?"

"I don't understand." Davros spoke up from where he was sat down on the stairs. "What's a Mondas?"

"The homeworld of the Cybermen." The Doctor answered. "One of them, at least. It was ejected from its orbit when a rogue planet passed through its solar system. That's the problem with nomad planets, so easy to lose." His brow furrowed, as he thought of something else to ask. "But how do you know Javik has that information?"

"Cyber-Command was alerted to the Prothean's strategic value by an outside source." The head explained.

"Outside source?" The Doctor repeated. "Who?"

* * *

"They are approaching from the east!" Javik warned, shooting another Cyberman dead with his gunstick.

"And the west!" Liara shouted, as another group of Cybermen beat down the door into the engine room.

"You guys are doing brilliantly!" The Usher complimented, typing away rapidly at the engineering terminal. "Keep it up!"

"How much longer?" James questioned, raising his voice over the sounds of the Cybermen's weapons as well as his own discharging.

"I have teleport access already, but I don't know how long the engines are going to take!" The Usher admitted. "The Cybermen are very good at security!"

"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" EDI suggested.

"Don't worry, I have everything under control!" The Usher smiled.

The team continued as such for some time, fighting valiantly as Cyberman after Cyberman marched into engineering, trying to stop them. Aqua beams of energy, grenades, and even biotics charged through the air like a laser show, the group working together collectively as one giant organism, focused solely on dispatching the metal men.

After ten straight minutes of combat, and getting used to the sounds of the Cybermen, they were all surprised when the Usher let out a satisfied whoop, throwing her arms up into the air.

"I'm into the engine systems!" She reported, the fighting beginning to lull. "Just wait a second, and I'll set this place up to blow like Guy Fawkes Night!"

"Halt." A synthesized voice, deeper than the rest that the Cybermen normally used, ordered from the main entrance into the room.

James whipped back around immediately. The Cyberman he was facing was different than the rest they had seen up to the point. It was… different. A light glowed in the center of its chest plate, and the whole thing looked more streamlined. Elegant, for lack of a better term. Whereas the Cybermen from before moved and looked more like straight-up robots, this new one looked more like a person in a suit would, moving fluidly as it stepped forward. Still, it would probably die like the rest of them.

James pulled the trigger on his gunstick, and the Cyberman fell with a computerized scream. But then, the Cyberman did something different. Something they hadn't done before.

"Upgrade in progress." More Cybermen were hiding in the shadows, tucked away in out-of-sight corners, and they all announced the single phrase as one, with the same deep, guttural voice the one from before had used. All of them looked identical, and they stepped out in unison, marching directly towards the group.

Liara narrowed her eyes, and squeezed the trigger on her weapon, aimed directly at one of the Cyberman.

The aqua beam lanced through the air, and just when it looked like it would make contact with the metal exoskeleton of the Cyberman, it bounced harmlessly off, like a rubber ball against a pane of glass.

"What?" Liara breathed in fear, firing again. Though the result was much of the same. "It's not working!"

"They have somehow adapted to our weapons!" EDI outlined, as the legion of Cybermen surrounded them. "Switch to another-" EDI was cut off, as a Cyberman marched up behind her, and crushed her shoulder underneath its steel grip. The AI's body sparked as millions of volts of electricity were sent coursing through it, and the body fell to the ground, the electronics inside burnt out completely.

"EDI!" James shouted. He fired off shot after shot at the Cyberman in rage, yet each one continued to bounce harmlessly off, as the metal army surrounded them.

"You are surrounded." One of the Cybermen spoke. "Surrender immediately."

"Go to hell." James spat.

"We have allies." Javik spoke up. "Even if you destroy all of us, they will not rest until-" Javik froze up in place, his muscles tightening up as his flesh glowed a transparent aqua. The Prothean grunted, and fell to the ground, the Cybermen not having moved a single solitary inch in the process.

"What the…" James turned around to the engineering console. The Cybermen in front of the Usher had cleared out of her way, and the woman herself was pointing the smoking gunstick in Javik's direction, leaving no doubt who had shot the Prothean.

"Finally." The Usher spat, all traces of the warm, kindly woman they had met before gone from her green eyes. "That accent was seriously beginning to grate."

"What the hell are you doing!?" James demanded.

The Usher narrowed her eyes, and the Cybermen all took one step forward, closing in Liara, River, and James against each other. "What I came here to do in the first place." She nodded to a Cyberman at her side, and it stepped out of formation with another one, picking up Javik's inert form.

"What are you doing!? Put him down!" River ordered.

"I would watch my tongue if I were you, Miss Song." The Usher looked at the Cybermen at her side. "They don't like insolence."

"I don't understand." Liara spoke up, looking at each Cyberman in fear. Even had the gunsticks been working, it wasn't a fight they were likely to win. "What's going on?"

The Usher rolled her eyes. Unlike what it had been back in her TARDIS, this gesture was of pure and utter contempt. "Asari. You think you're so smart, and then ask the stupidest questions…" She shook her head. "Allow me to spell it out for you, Miss T'Soni."

"It's doctor-"

"I don't care." The Usher cut her off. "All of this?" She gestured around, encompassing not only the Cybermen, but the ship itself. "Was about him." She gestured to the Prothean on the ground.

"Javik?" River frowned. "But, why…"

"Yeah." James agreed, trying to put on his best 'tough guy' voice. "Why go after some fifty-thousand-year-old alien?" James questioned. "Gonna clone some Protheans of your own?"

The Usher let out a humorless chuckle. "No, no… How can I put it…" She rubbed her chin. "Quid pro quo, I believe you people call it?" The woman clasped her hands behind her back. "I require something I can only get with the Cybermen's aid; and they, in exchange, required Javik. Our cooperation furthered the development of our mutual goals."

"But…" Liara struggled, "The Cyberman had us surrounded on the Citadel, why couldn't they just take Javik then and there?"

"An Asari, human, Gallifreyan, AI, and Prothean all in one place? On the Citadel, you would've put up a good fight." The Usher smiled. "I wanted the home field advantage, as it were. These Cybermen," She looked to the fallen, "Were all obsolete anyway, brains getting a bit on. Thanks."

"But you're a Time Lord, like the Doctor." James stated. "Why would you do this?"

The Usher fixed the marine with the most intense look of dry disappointment she could muster. "Surely you didn't think all us renegades were like that oaf, did you?" The look became sarcastic. "Or maybe you did? After all, all I had to do was make a pretty lightshow, show off my TARDIS, throw some knowledge around, and I had you all eating out of the palm of my hand." She snorted. "Didn't your parents ever tell you _not_ to get into a vehicle with a stranger?"

River clenched her fists angrily. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you. Things seemed too good to be true."

"Yes, that was a bit convenient, wasn't it?" The Usher agreed. "Cerberus attacking, and the Cybermen, who haven't been seen in the galaxy at large at that point, just happen to know that an attack is going on before the rest of the galaxy does? Come to think of it, it's also a bit convenient the Daleks had a ship waiting in orbit just before the coup began… And how _did_ a force so comparatively small know where to attack the Citadel best? It's almost as if all three groups were warned beforehand."

"This is your fault?" Liara incredulously questioned. "You planned this? How? Why?"

"Well," The Usher leaned on one of the Cybermen, "I figured the best time to capture Little Mister Prothean was while he was out on the battlefield. I had let some Rachni loose on one of the planets in the Ninmah cluster, even convinced Wrex to send in Grunt to deal with it to motivate Shepard to go there sooner, but she's taking her sweet time getting to that one." She examined her fingernails disinterestedly. "So, I figure, get Cerberus to stage a coup on the Citadel, get Shepard to come running. But I didn't want Cerberus to get too successful, that might cause our Prothean friend to get harmed, so I tipped off the Daleks. And while everything else was in chaos, my Cybermen would be able to slip in unnoticed until the gravity waves rocked the station." She grinned, throwing her arms out. "And I'm glad to say the plan went off without a hitch. Three-dimensional chess can't hold a candle to this."

"What's the point of this whole tirade?" River narrowed her eyes. "You have what you want, why gloat?"

"Because," The Usher leaned forward. "I want you to tell her."

River was taken aback. _"What?"_

"I want you to tell her." The Usher repeated. "That everything she did was a massive diversion, that one of her squad mates is dead, the other is about to have his brain sucked out for information, and she's hopeless to stop it. I want her to know that no matter what she thought she succeeded at, she failed at preventing the true outcome." A sudden beeping sound came from her wrist, and the Usher rolled up her sleeve, checking what looked like a digital watch. "And that's all the time we have. Valern's already been teleported back to his office, and you three won't be far behind. Toodles!" She sarcastically waved, pressing a button down on her watch.

The three were surrounded by blue columns of light, and the world around them disappeared into nothing, as the Cybership jumped away from the Citadel, the Cybermen's prize locked safely away inside.


	52. Benched

"So, all of it was a massive diversion? Just to get to Javik?" Shepard questioned; the remaining squad members assembled around the conference table. River, Liara, and James glanced at each other, and River nodded. "Oh, God…" It was her fault the Citadel was attacked, that thousands had died, Javik had been captured, and EDI's body was destroyed. "I need…" Shepard glanced back around. "I need some air." She informed, before making a hasty retreat from the conference room.

"…I don't think I've ever seen her like that." Garrus grimly commented, once Shepard had passed through the security checkpoint.

"The war's starting to get to her." Liara stated empathetically. "What happened recently has likely only made the problem worse."

The Doctor didn't blame Shepard. In fact, his hearts went out to her in understanding. There had been more than a few times where someone from the future harmed others in order to get to him. In those cases, it was usually the Master, but that did leave an interesting question.

"Just who was that woman?" The Doctor questioned.

"We don't know." James spoke up. "She had a TARDIS, Dalek guns, even a sonic screwdriver."

"And she knew Shepard." Garrus finished. "What'd that woman call herself?"

"The Usher." River answered.

"The Usher… Usher… It can't be… Can it?" The Doctor stitched his brow together. He looked out of the transparent aluminum, over the expansive landscape of the Wards. "What if… Is it possible you misheard her name?"

Liara frowned. "It was a very distinctive word. What could we have mistaken it for?"

"Ushas." The Doctor turned back to them.

James shook his head. "Hard r at the end. Even over the sounds of gunfire, I could hear it."

"And she told us blatantly that it wasn't her real name." River entered. "I mean, she has been proven a liar, but why lie about lying about your name?"

"Right." The Doctor nodded. "The Rani was always a bit creative when it came to aliases anyway. I have a hard time believing she'd just change the letters around a bit and call it a day, that was more the Master's thing…" The Doctor looked up at the ceiling, recalling all that he could remember. "Colonel Masters, Victor Magister, Tremas…" The Doctor shook his head in self-directed consternation. "Sometimes I wonder how I got this far being so monumentally stupid."

"It's nice seeing you admit you're an idiot, dear," River said, "But we're trying to deal with a problem here?"

"Of course." The Doctor shook himself out of his thoughts. "What did you say her TARDIS looked like?"

"A Police Box, like yours." James answered. "But it was older. Well, the outside was older, all rickety with the paint peeling, no Saint John's Ambulance badge either. The inside was newer, shiny and clean. With round things on the walls."

"Oh!" The Doctor beamed. "I love the round things! Had to get rid of 'em, though. 'Trypophobia', Ace said, 'no such thing,' I said. Maybe I should put them back in…"

"And the police box was red." River snapped her fingers in front of the Time Lord's face to steer him back on track.

The Doctor made an 'ah.' "So, not only is she taunting Shepard, she's also trying to send a statement to me…"

Garrus tilted his head. "What makes you think that?"

"She has a TARDIS done up to look like mine, only red." The Doctor outlined. "In some cultures, red is considered the opposite of blue. Actually, the opposite of blue is orange, but red and blue have a good contrast against each other."

"So, by having a red TARDIS, she's saying that she's the opposite of you?" James deduced.

"Bingo!" The Doctor snapped his fingers at James. "I've got to say, it's quite the mystery we've found ourselves at the center of, isn't it? Strange woman from the future out to get Shepard for some reason, who was willing to mastermind an entire battle just to get one woman where she wanted her, with a TARDIS designed to make a point at me?" The Doctor grinned. "It must be Christmas."

"I feel like all of you are ignoring the other problem." Liara suddenly spoke up. "What about Javik?" She questioned, and everybody else became sheepish when they realized they'd forgotten about him. "He's on board the cybership, all on his own."

"Easy." The Doctor replied, "We launch a rescue mission."

"But we don't know where the ship is!" River voiced.

"We don't know where the ship is." The Doctor agreed. "But we do know where it _was."_

"What are you going on about?" Garrus questioned.

The Doctor grinned again, "Stay here!" He ordered, dashing out of the conference room.

" _Hey, guys?"_ Joker's voice came from the ceiling. _"Did the Doctor go somewhere? Cause I'm picking up a call from Rannoch with his number on caller ID_ _._ _"_

_****DW**** _

Shepard looked despondently out onto the cylindrical superstructure, and the rays of light shining through the gaps between the Wards. The last column of smoke had faded out long ago, and anyone looking out on the station would be forgiven in thinking that one of the most devastating battles in the history of the galactic capital hadn't just gone down.

It was just her now, staring out into the distance. The Normandy sat outside the massive window, waiting patiently for her captain. Shepard herself was sat on a bench in the hallway of bay D24, sipping absently at a bottle of ginger beer. Whereas it took six bottles of the strongest vodka to even get her buzzed, the commander was already working up a heavy buzz thanks to the ginger concentrate within, a potent intoxicant for even the hardiest Gallifreyan.

And as Shepard sat there drinking, she hadn't noticed the footsteps coming from behind.

"This seat taken?" A woman asked.

"Hm?" Shepard turned to her. She couldn't pick out the details of her face, as buzzed as she was, though she likely wouldn't be able to remember what she saw anyway. "Oh, no." She hiccupped. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." The woman smiled, brushing a strand of red hair out of her face. She gazed out of the window, on the picturesque scene of the Citadel. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"What?" Shepard turned. "Oh, the Citadel. It's pretty I- *hic* I guess."

"Not just the Citadel." The woman elaborated. "All of it. The ships diving in an' out of atmosphere, the light refracting off the skycars, the shadows in the windows of those buildings as people move about inside. It's the most ordinary sight in the world, you know? People going about their days. So ordinary, we never just… stop to look."

"Savor it while you can." Shepard recommended, going for the bottle again. "It's very nearly over."

"Nah, I don't believe that." The woman retorted, crossing her arms. "I think that, no matter how bleak things get, how… terrible the universe around me seems… I still have hope. That things will get better. It's not all doom and gloom, you know? There's high points and low points. You have to have the happy with the sad. That way, when the good times come around again, they mean that much more to you." The woman looked down sadly. "I'm working my way through the sad now."

Shepard turned to the woman. "…What happened?" She questioned, wishing to know.

"…I lost a friend of mine today." The woman despondently admitted. "Kelly Chambers. Cerberus got to her during the attack."

"Kelly?" Shepard's head shot up. "What… What happened to her?"

"The way I hear it…" The woman looked out onto the shimmering surface of the station. "Cerberus came around to the refugee docks, asking for former personnel by name. She… she couldn't get away in time." The woman sniffled, cupping her mouth in her hand. "And it's all my fault. I was so busy, making sure everything else went right, that she got caught in the crossfire, and I had to act… pretty horribly to the rest of my friends to make sure things went as they should've." Actual, proper tears began to fall from the corners of her emerald eyes. "They're holding the vigil for her down there." She turned to look through the windows, down at the holding bay below.

"Kelly…" Shepard whispered, staring down at the crowds below, paying their respects. Everyone, from every species, every skin color, every walk of life, gathered around the cargo container that Kelly had made her home, "She was important to all those people?"

The woman sadly nodded. "They looked up to her. Her and a Turian man. They helped get everyone on their feet, broke down the barriers between all those people, and never, ever asked anything in return for it." The woman sniffled. "I didn't even know. Things were so busy, I never took the time to visit in, to check up on her."

"You two were close then?" Shepard inquired, hoping she hadn't crossed a line. "Was she a friend? Lover?"

"A friend." The woman answered. "One of my best. She and I traveled together."

"Where to?"

"Oh, all sorts of places." The woman leaned back. "From Omega to the Citadel. The center of the galaxy, all the way out to the outer rim… and beyond."

"She never told me anything like that." Shepard commented. "How'd you two meet?"

"Oh, this was… after your time." The woman explained. "We- She," The woman corrected, "Was on the run from Cerberus back then. She thought if she got to the Citadel, she'd be safe. So I helped her get along. Well, the long way 'round." The woman sniffed. "Still, there are worse ways to spend the final days of your life, I suppose."

Shepard gave a sad smile of her own, holding up the ginger beer. "To Kelly. The best shrink in Cerberus."

"She was one of the kindest, caring souls I'd ever known…" The woman agreed. "And out of everyone I've met in my travels, she was the most _human._ "

Shepard nodded, looking out contemplatively at the Wards.

"Well," The woman inhaled, placing her hands on her knees as she pushed herself up, "I reckon it's about time for me to get on my way. I didn't mean to get involved, I didn't, but I couldn't help it. It's been nice talking to you, Shepard."

"You too." Shepard nodded in response. The woman turned to leave, but Shepard cut her off. "Hey, I never did get your name."

The woman smiled warmly. "You wouldn't remember it, sloshed as you are. Now," She patted Shepard on her shoulders, "You ought to get back to that ship of yours. Kaidan's waiting in the airlock to talk to you, and they're about ready to launch a rescue mission for Javik."

"Kaidan…" Shepard turned to look at the airlock door. "You think he's forgiven me?" Shepard wondered. "That he's ready to finally come back to me?"

"One can certainly hope."

"Yeah…" Shepard frowned. "How did you know Javik was-" She turned, and stopped abruptly.

The woman was gone.


End file.
